the essence

I haven't really posted since last Tuesday. Last Tuesday is really when all of the busyness began and we finally came to a rest yesterday. I'm beat - I even turned off my alarm clock for this morning!

Last Tuesday I met Paige for lunch & she treated us to Vallartas (a small chain of Mexican restaurants in the area). I just love Mexican food, it was so delicious!



After that we went for coffee & then I headed home to pack & teach piano. Dad was in the area for an audition or something so he also stopped by. About thirty minutes after my piano lessons we all headed to Orlando to spend some time with my family. We hadn't been since Kate was born so it was a nice (slightly last minute) treat!

I slept horribly at my parents house Tuesday night. I was soooo achy - flu-like achy. I noticed my breasts were getting sore & I knew I was getting mastitis again. I remembered that I wore an ill-fitting bra (on accident) all day Monday thus resulting in mastitis. It was very unfortunate timing to have a fever & aches since I had many people to visit. We went & finally saw Megan's adorable apartment, Gram & Dick stopped by, & Renee & her two youngest girls stopped by! I then met Heather & another old friend, Caren, for coffee at Starbucks.



I met Caren when we were in first grade & we became best friends. We drifted apart over the years & we hadn't seen each other in nearly seven years, since one week before my wedding! She now lives back in the area & has a one-year-old boy & is due with a girl in July. Heather also found out last week that she's having another girl!

Ray & I had originally planned to head home Wednesday night but he suggested we stay until Thursday morning. Megan & Matthew joined us for my dad's delicious pasta & after they left we watched the newest Lost - I love the time traveling aspect.





We packed up Thursday morning & stopped at Bass Pro Shop on the way home. Ray had eagerly been looking forward to this; I had never been before and can say with uite certainty that I have no desire to go again. I didn't know it was possible for there to be so many different kinds of fishing poles in existence.



We finally made it home aroun 2:30 in the afternoon. Caroline flew in from West Virginia at 4:15 - but that's another post for later!