Last weekend, I spent a fabulous fall weekend in Rexburg, Idaho with several of my favorite people. It began Friday at 12:30 when I got out of class and began the 5-1/2 hour drive. You should know that driving is very low on my list of favorite things to do. More accurately, it doesn't even make the list. I do not like to drive. I've been spoiled over the years because Gerald does 99% of the driving on all our road trips. Thank heavens! I especially don't like to drive when I'm not sure where I'm going. Have I mentioned that I'm directionally challenged? Well, I am. I have no clue about north, south, east, or west (Isn't north up, like toward the sky?), and I find maps to be wholly incomprehensible. They pretty much resemble a bunch of Ramen Noodles on a page. The route to Rexburg from Billings is anything but direct. There are all sort of twists and turns, new highways to look for, etc. Gerald typed out clear and specific directions, but I still called him several times to make certain I was on track. I have been lost far too many times to ever trust myself.
Stopping only briefly in Bozeman to get food, I arrived in Rexburg around 6:00 p.m. My welcoming committee was comprised of Emma and Jase, waiting outside in the driveway with giant hugs. Mmmmm, I didn't realize quite how much I missed them until we were together again. As expected, it took a bit of time before Hanna would hang with me, but by the next day we were BFFs once again. In fact, in her quest for independence, she decided that only I was allowed to change her diapers and dress her. I loved that, by the way. She is fast approaching age 2 (just a couple more weeks), and how beautifully she has begun to express her will and let the world know that she has opinions too. She is absolutely perfect. Also perfect is 4-year-old Jase, who, among other things, reads like a 2nd grader. I'm not exaggerating. He was most excited to show off his new tattoo, something from Star Wars maybe? I can't remember. And lovely Emma was as sweet, smart, and beautiful as always.
About an hour later, Shulamith and Matt arrived. We snuck Lindsey out the door (so Hanna wouldn't notice) and headed out to dinner. At this point I need to express my huge appreciation to David, who spent much of his weekend home with the kids, while Shulamith and Matt and I took Lindsey out to play: restaurants, shopping, a movie, etc. What a good husband and father. What a good friend. Thank you, David. I used to be able to reciprocate when you guys lived in Billings. Not sure how I'll do that now.
Yes, it was a fabulous weekend, and of course, it came all too soon to an end. Shulamith and Matt and I intended to leave Rexburg at 1:00 when Lindsey and family went to church and go our separate directions, but we instead went to Jack in the Box and stayed for nearly two hours talking and eating. Should I really admit what I ate there? How do greasy deep-fried tacos, mozzarella sticks, and funnel cake sound? Uh huh, it was that good. The drive home was more enjoyable than the drive there because I bought a cord to connect the auxiliary port in my car to my phone so I could listen to my Pandora stations. If you haven't yet tried Pandora Radio, you really should. What could be better than a station that plays only your favorite songs and others like them, one after the other?
I arrived home at exactly 8:00 p.m. just in time to watch the season premieres of "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters." At commercial breaks, I caught up with both Eli and Seth and met Seth's new pet, a goldfish he won at Saturday Live. His name: Orange-head Fisher. Seth calls him Mr. Fisher for short.
Fall Fab Fun. It was simply amazing.
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