A Delightful Day!

How do you brighten up a January day?  By inviting a sweet blog friend and her family to spend the day!   

We had met Deanna's family in October when we took a trip to beautiful Lancaster County.  (I told you ~here~ about  how they welcomed us into their home and about the wonderful evening we all spent together.)  We had been looking for another opportunity to get together, so when I learned that older girls were off from their jobs at Sight and Sound for a few weeks, and that their family business Fab Fashion was on a slightly slower winter schedule, I asked Deanna if they were willing to make the drive and come to our house for a visit...and they were and they did!

This time, we just picked up where we had left off...no need for introductions or small talk!  We jumped right in and began talking and talking and talking (as "kindreds" do), with a little eating thrown in for good measure.  (Okay, maybe more than a "little" eating.)  We talked about books and grandchildren and churches and furniture and pets and technology and games and homeschooling and friends and blogging and blogging friends and husbands and movies and decorating and jobs and children and the Lord's goodness...oh, what didn't we talk about?!  Deanna was joined by her lovely (inside and out) daughters Sarah, Rachel, Emily, and Lindsay (ages 10 to 21), and her darling son Kyle (age 7).  As we all (with the exception of Kyle who was upstairs in Lego Land ~smile~) chatted together, I thought how blessed we are to have daughters who enjoy our company, all engaged in the conversation, kindreds of all ages.  

We were having such a great time together that we didn't want to see it end.  Knowing that Deanna's husband Tim was not going to be home until late last night, we bribed them into staying a bit longer by offering pizza from our favorite local pizza place...and it worked!  Ron picked up the pizza on his way home from work and so he got to join the talking-and-eating too, which he enjoyed.  

I regret to say that I was a bad blogger and took hardly any pictures.  I am so uncomfortable photographing guests in my home...I want people to feel at ease, and not afraid to chew or laugh uproariously for fear that I will snap a photo.  But, I so wish I had taken a few "staged" photos to share.  Definitely next time.

Maybe I can bribe them to come again with some pizza.  Or with Kati's Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle...that should do it.  

Thanking the Lord today for friends, near and far...