Atlanta Trip Catch-Up

Last weekend (Aug. 1-3, 2008), we flew to Atlanta. "We" as in Brandon and yours truly. We left the kiddies with a neighbor (and then my cousin, Courtney --love you, Court!), and so the trip was kid-free, and that suited me just fine, what with the flying and the layovers and the car rentals and the late nights and the driving and the Temple sealing and the nice clothes and the fancy food and the pictures and the driving and the flights and the canceled flight and the arriving so late I thought I would cry.

Kid free = Easier

Here are the Good and Bad Highlights (and then some pictures of all the highlights):

• Hanging out at Stone Mountain with some of the family.
• Arriving at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta at the same time church services had been let out down the street where every member of that church was staying in our hotel. This meant no parking space in the parking lot, hundreds (thousands?) of beautiful families with boys in suits and ladies in fancy southern hats, and little patience on our part because it was nearly midnight. The hotel was awesome --47 floors with an open atrium (holy vertigo, batman!), and the restaurant (for breakfast the next morning) was wonderful, wonderful. Kind of wish we had stayed longer...
• Realizing that although I was raised right next to a Native American Reservation and grew up with a large Hispanic population, I had never been a minority before, and loving that I was perhaps only one of 4 white people in the Marriott Marquis that night. I honestly have never been around so many Black people (dang, am I supposed to say African American?? I don't know these things anymore! They're always changing!), and I thought it was wonderful. I couldn't stop staring! Is that wrong? Or weird? Hmmm...
• Freaking out a bit because we were 20 minutes late for the wedding (we were supposed to be there by 11:30, we arrived at 11:10, saw we had time, went to the Waffle House so my brother and his wife could eat breakfast since they hadn't eaten yet, and arrived back at the Temple at 11:50. Doh!) and my mother was not happy. At. All. Don't blame her! But we didn't miss the wedding, so it was all good.
• Enjoying a lovely but very, very short sealing, where I bawled like a crazy baby (bawled, people. I bawled!) because my baby brother was getting married. To a fabulous girl. In the Temple. And so I cried even more. Such tender moments!
• Driving two hours to the Reception in Signal Mountain, TN and loving the beautiful green, green, green trees (and thinking of Jolene because she told me she had loved all the green while she lived in Atlanta).
• Having a great time at the Dinner and Reception. Great time!
• Looking hot in my hot outfit (heehee!).
• Helping decorate the car for the newlyweds (even though they drove a different one away from the reception).
• Loving that after the reception (and cleanup) we only had to drive halfway back to Atlanta because Brandon was wise and got a hotel on the way in advance.
• Being grateful for the Kid Free weekend (again) when our flight was canceled in Dallas.

(I think I might be getting addicted to the mosaics...)

The day after we got back, I got to visit with some friends. Kathryn and Dave came by with their twins --I worked with them at Aspen Grove Family Camp eight years ago. Eight years ago! Wow! It was so good to see them again.

Then I got a special, special treat. Beyond special, people! Summer and her husband, Tom, along with their cute kiddies, came to meet me. Meet me! I met Summer! And Tom! Here at my house! I met them! And it was thrilling and wonderful and they are exactly what I thought they would be --funny, relaxed, smart, and all around fabulous. Here are some pictures of the meeting:

I love meeting Blogging Friends!

And now, because I can't get enough of Mr. Tilney, I bring you THIS.

Coming up next: Birthdays and More Weddings