Friend

Friend (noun)- A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

We just call her Deanna.

The Hurricane Evacuees Reunion

We met up with my good friend from college, Emily and her clan at the Kemah Boardwalk for some Joe's Crab Shack dinner, a couple of rides, and some reminiscing about our hurricane experience. This was our first time to see Kemah since Ike put the hurtin' on it last September. Of course, I figured that the Landry's family/corporation were going to have it rebuilt quickly. They're not one to let a dollar of profit get away for too long. If only the rest of the Ike victims could receive that kind of attention......
I will now step down and away from my soapbox. The best way to describe Kemah was, "HOT". As any Houstonian knows, we have 2 seasons; Summer and August. This is why the daytime in the summer in south Texas should be spent indoors or IN a pool, lake, ocean, bathtub, basically submerged in a liquid, and sweat doesn't count. So, we ventured down to the water to catch a breeze. We'll definitely be coming back to Kemah....in the fall.

The heat was no longer a factor for Holland once Lindsey arrived. It was like no time had passed since they saw each other.

Me and Emily

I wish we had taken this picture earlier, before Humidity ran its sticky fingers through my hair.

We had a great time, McKnight's!

Same time, next week?

Teri and the Gang

My good friend, Teri, whom I've known since the 7th grade when I was at the peak of my awkward years and still she befriended me and also my college roomie and sorority sister, was visiting some friends in The Woodlands and drove over to see us and eat some lunch.

I always enjoy getting together with them. This time I got to meet Darby, the newest heir in the Smith Dynasty.

Teri, Darby, and Me.

Thanks for taking the picture, Dwayne.

(He's the only one we trusted to take a picture and not cut off our heads.)

BFF's in training
Abby, Kinsey, & Holland

Darby is a bit of a Native American Giver. She would hand me something......

....then take it right back. Fortunately, she was cute enough to pull it off.




I was able to introduce them to CiCi's Fine Dining.


Abby approved of the brownie selection they offered.

"Wonder Twin Powers Activate!"

Rendezvous With The Yockeys

This has been the best summer for catching up with good friends. This week our friends from Joplin were in a nearby suburb visiting Alaina's brother. Then Sunday, they drove over and met us for church, lunch, and spent time with us at the Davis Ranch catching up on the past 4 years.

When we lived in Joplin, Grey, Hannah, and Kenzie (another friend) were great friends. The girls tried to help Grey get in touch with his feminine side. Fortunately, we found that Grey doesn't have a feminine side. So the girls would compromise and play other games with him. They always had a good time together.

Holland and Taylor were babies and well, hairless, when we moved away. However, they hit it off right away. Apparently, Polly Pockets and Barbies can transcend the bridge of time.

It was so good to see them and just like when the Ritters came, it made me a little homesick for the life we had in Joplin and well, for Babe's hamburgers and tator tots, too. (There, I managed to sidestep the puddle of sappyness. It was close, though.)

Anyway, we really enjoyed the time they spent with us and so appreciate the effort they made to come see us! Alaina, Hannah, Todd, & Taylor

Me and Alaina

Mac and Todd

Hannah, that's hannaH spelled backwards.






As a part of the hazing process for first-time guests at our church, the guest must endure the 2 story spiral slide. Todd, your "I survived the spiral slide--2008", t-shirt is in the mail.








Grey, Hannah, Taylor, & Holland.



(If you knew how bad I want to reach in this picture and fix Holland's hair and headband, but I'm going to let it go..just let it go...)

"Wuuuuuurrrd......"


See you soon! (or at least in 4 years)

The McKnight Encounter

We finally were able to meet up with my friend and favorite person, Emily and her family for dinner. We both live in Houston, but at total opposite ends of the city. Sadly, we are averaging once every 2 years for getting together. Sometimes I think it might actually be easier to meet in Mississippi than here. However, we persevered and met halfway at the Downtown Aquarium for dinner. It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again in 2010.

The Menfolk

Once you learn how to properly pose for a Zap, you never forget. Not a cup in sight.


The Zap posing gene has been passed down to Holland and Lindsey. This is a proud moment for me.

The view from our table. How is a kid supposed to sit and eat when giant eels, nurse sharks, and fish are swimming just feet away?

Lucky Emily! She found a button in her appetizer. I told her it's like finding the baby in a King cake; the person who finds the button gets to buy dinner for everyone. Apparently, she doesn't celebrate that tradition.

Lindsey, Holland, Grey

After dinner and a spin on the carousel, the real party began on the splash pad.

Grey and Lindsey "don't need no stinkin' swimsuits." Holland, on the other hand would only participate in approved swimming garb.

I debated going in myself.

Josh decided to get in on the action.

You know what's coming. Believe me, I was holding my breath taking the picture, thinking please don't let him get splashed in the face.....

But it didn't happen.
Is he adorable or what? He's a very laidback baby. Gee, I wonder what that's like.

Finishing up the evening, Lindsey and Holland took some time to enjoy the musical act.

(My fear of Holland running off with a musician grows daily.)

Thanks Emily, John, Lindsey, & Josh! Let's do it again!

All The Way From Missouri

Our friends, Ryan and Audrey from Joplin, Mo were visiting family in Tyler, TX and made the trip from Tyler to Houston (we're talking 4 or so hours) in torrential rain, the only kind of rain we get in southeast Texas. We went to an Astros game and the Astros won which was a nice change from their latest streak. Anyway, we got to catch up with them in between foul balls dropping all around us. I asked Audrey 3 or 4 million questions about her and everything going on in Joplin. Mac and I will always have a soft spot for Joplin. We were blessed with a great church and amazing friends. And our baby girl was born there. God used that time there to teach us so much. Even now I get a little misty-eyed when I remember our life there.
This is a bit of a departure from my usual writing style. I don't usually get this sentimental, but the people there made such an impact on us, and I am so grateful for those 3 1/2 years.

Audrey, A Hunk Of Burning Love, Ryan

Alright, I'm back to my usual.

The Wyoming Camping Trip

We had such a good time on our Wyoming camping trip. Our trail guides Cookie, (who took the photos) and Doc (pictured below) cooked out for us and set up a marshmallow toasting for us on Saturday night. We had a lot of fun and nobody burned their eyebrows off.

Oh, alright we were actually cooking out with our good friends, Pat and Gary at their house which is only about a mile from our house. It sounded so much better to say we were toasting marshallows on a camping trip in Wyoming than we were toasting marshmallows in Houston in 88 degree weather.