Hospitality: visits from long-time friends

One of the great benefits to living in Virginia is our proximity to Washington, D.C. ... and therefore, visits from friends and family!

And we all love to welcome them to our new home, Hilltop Farm!

Yesterday, we had a visit from a friend and her family from Georgia. They'd spent the 4th in Washington and stopped on their way to NC beaches.

I've know this woman for 20+ years ... she was at both of my weddings, is the godmother to my oldest son, I used to feed she and her husband when they were dating and I hosted her wedding shower. I'm godmother to her oldest and we co-chaperoned trips to Walt Disneyworld when our godchildren were each 4 years old. I worried and prayed with her when she delivered her second daughter -- a 2-month early preemie who was so tiny, she was the size of a Hershey bar! I cried and laughed with her as we saw her father, a sufferer of Parkinson's, succumb to the disease.

That was four years ago ... and our paths have not crossed since the funeral. Until yesterday ... when she and her husband, my goddaughter (now 14!), her second daugher (8) and her youngest (5) stopped by for a few hours.

We so enjoyed seeing them again and can't wait for a chance for a longer visit .... after all, there was someone for everyone:

• dh and Vince hid out in the garage and then later at the beach ... talking guy talk
• goddaughter hung out with her "older and wiser cousin" and enjoyed talking with the grownups
• the younger girls -- who are NOT girly-girls -- had a blast running, tumbling, tagging and generally wreaking havoc with our younger three!

A successful visit all round ... come on back now, y'hear!