"A friend loveth at all times . . . "

Have you ever had a dream come true? One you've harbored and wished for, and prayed for forever?

Well, I did.

And it was glorious!

The Lord blessed me, through some wonderful people, with a wonderful gift to go to California and visit a dear, dear girl! And a wonderful, dear girl was able to come with me!



This is Lauri and I in the Suburban, heading to the airport.

This girl I went to see . . . peoples, I have chatted with her on the phone, on the Internet, done everything one could possibly do while being thousands of miles apart. But it did not compare to actually being with her!

Emily Anne.
How we longed for pictures together! Now we really have some! But you know what? We don't have enough! I've only been home a couple weeks, but my mind is already looking ahead to another trip! Someday soon, I'm going back!











Two other dear, dear girls I was SO looking forward to meeting were Ashley(B-row) and Lois. These girls are super fun and now more dear to me than before!


Ashley, you're gem! You're gorgeous, intelligent, and your heart is pure! It was awesome to be with you! I love you!








Lois, you're a gem, too! You're beautiful, you're clever, and you make me laugh! A LOT! I've never met anyone so witty and funny, and yet you can have such heart to heart talks! Love you lots and lots!

Lauri, you are a priceless gift! If ever the Proverbs verse applied to anyone, it is you! You are lovely beyond compare, good, loving, and just plain wonderful! Darling, I love you!






Emily, there has never been a day gone by that I do not thank Jesus for letting me be with you! Let it be known here and now that my very first dream come true was going to see Emily! You are a treasure filling a cave so deep, so vast, one could never reach the end! You are so precious, so loving, so dear! I miss you! But I love you so much!

California is a BEAUTIFUL state! I was born there, but I haven't been back in seventeen years! It was glorious! These flowers, hibiscus?, they were growing right in someones yard! *jaw drops a foot* Can you imagine?

Wednesday Night was oodles of fun! I got to meet Lois and Ashley and Rachel! Plus, some other wonderful girls and their families! The Iorga's and the McIntire's! It was spectacular to see you!

Palm trees, people! It's palm trees! REAL, Cali palm trees! Gorgeous! Everyone who lived down there thought it awfully strange that Lauri and I were pointing out all the palm trees on their streets! :D But it would probably be like that for us if they came out here! :D

Lolly(Lois) came to stay a couple of nights and guess what we did? Oh, yes! We went shopping! At the mall! :P And--and, you know what else??? They had ESCALATORS!! :D In the MALL!! WOW!! Who wants one floor malls after that?? And of course we did all those silly things girls do when they haven't a cent to spend on anything: we tried on everything we liked and donated them to the Clearance racks in the future! :D

Another thing I am envious of. J.A.M.B.A. J.U.I.C.E.
Okay, like--ubber soomthie! With anything you want in it = Delicious!!

For Em's birthday, we went to Disneyland with Sarah! I have never been, not that I can remember, but my very first word as a baby was Mini Mouse. This place is a blast! Had the best time EVAH!

And we went camping in the mountains! It was quite the adventure! Especially since we were camping in bear infested camp grounds with no showers. But, who cares? It's camping, right? No mirrors, no worries, right?

Emily and Richard, her youngest bro. Loved seeing them together! Made me miss Billy! But they are the oodles of fun when you get them together!

Yup! Yup! Camera junkies! Tsk! It's the best!
Loved your cam, Em! You are the awesomest photographer!

This is the beautiful Grizzly Falls. Three girls with cameras . . . you're bound to be waiting for at least fifteen minutes! We did this EVERY time! But they were quite nice about it. :)

Gorgeous rivers, too!

E.M.M.Y, L.A.U.R.A, M.E.

We went to Sequoia National Park to see General Sherman and General Grant. Now that is amazing! They are so huge! Read Emily's blog, she said something totally awesome about the Redwood trees! I'd like to live in one!

On the way up into the mountains, the car overheated, but we had a lovely view while we waited!

Mr. and Mrs. Weston.

The boys were out hiking and we met them up in the mountains around dusk the first day. But we were setting up our tent in the dark.

And of course, on the last day, we went to the ocean. I've never been in the ocean either! The sand, the water, the sky, everything compliments the other so much, that if two were to go without the one, it just wouldn't be the same.

This one is going on my desk, girlie!!

And so is this one.

" . . . and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

He thought it a good thing to bring us together, all of us.

And I'm so very glad He did.