Catching Up

Sonora and I spent last weekend with my family in SC while Jon headed off to his AF drill weekend. My whole family was there and for a moment around the dinner table it felt like we had been transported back 5 years with 8 Harris' all talking and laughing at once. It made me so grateful to the Lord that we can still have those amazing moments together but it also made me realize that I love where we are now and it is good that it doesn't quite feel complete without Sonora and Jon there as well. We had such a special visit! We were able to celebrate my Dad's birthday which technically took place several weeks earlier (but whose counting), and since our favorite bakery closed before we could pick up the cake, the celebration will continue when once it can get picked up, lit up, blown out, and consumed. In true Harris fashion, Dad is choosing to celebrate "the month of his birth"- why confine the celebration to a single day we say! Let me add a special thank you to Juliana who spent the three hour car ride coaching Sonora on how to say "Ma ma"- she said my name more this weekend than any other time during her life. However, Da-da, baby, and bye-bye, have been spoken countless times throughout the past few months. She did start giving me hugs and kisses first, a fantastic trick that I never get tired of experiencing! 

Yesterday I really needed to get some housework done and it was close enough to bedtime that the little Princess was traumatized every time I left the room in which she was residing, but not close enough to put her to bed. So we pulled out the hiking backpack (she's too big for the snuggly pack, sniff, sniff) loaded her up and I vacuumed, dusted, polished, straightened, and washed with her strapped to my back. This worked exceedingly well for an hour and by the time I swung her down she was very relaxed and, we can only hope, an expert on what it takes to get this place ship shape. Soon I fully expect to turn her loose with a bucket and mop.....

Lastly but certainly not leastly, Sonora and I met with a friend for afternoon tea yesterday at a beautiful tea house. We spent two hours with Mrs. Brannan, a friend and mother of one of my dearest friends from college, sipping tea, eating delicious petite sandwiches, scones, and sweets, and trying to fit in all of the visiting that we possibly could. It was so fun to catch up and to celebrate the news that Hilary and Justin are expecting their first child making Mrs. Brannan a grandmother! Sonora is very excited about meeting her new friend soon. The tea itself was wonderful, Sonora loved the egg salad sandwiches and my favorite were the cucumber.  It was one of my favorite tea houses that I have ever been to, it had so many special touches. Thank you, Mrs, Brannan, for such a special treat! So, when the rest of you come and visit us Sonora and I will take you to afternoon tea at Chelsea's on Thornton.