A Wonderful Visit With A Precious Friend

(Sunday, July 11 to Tuesday, July 13, 2010)

Back in the summer of 2007 I attended the first Georgia Bloggy Bash. What I didn’t realize when I arrived was how many great gals I was going to meet and that some would become close friends whom I keep in close contact with.

One such friend is Tawni and from the moment we met we just clicked! You know that kind of person. You’re with then for a few minutes and you can already tell that you’re in tune with one another and could sit and talk for hours and hours.

Tawni and I only met in person one other time after that (at her home in September 2007 when I attended my first Utah Bloggy Bash) but we have remained good friends. She and I have that wonderful kind of friendship where you may not have contact for 6 months or more but when you do you pick up like you chatted yesterday. Ah yes, a precious, dear friend for sure!

Sunday, July 11th Hannah and I said a sad goodbye to M3, Ro and Ree in the Salt Lake City airport as they were headed home. We’d spent an amazing couple of weeks with them and it was hard to part ways. Oh how we wish we lived closer to one another!

After our goodbyes and a few tears (Ok, so I cried!) we headed out to the arrivals area of the airport and waited the next part of our adventure. Tawni and her adorable Avery pulled up shortly thereafter and the party continued! Oh how wonderful it was to see her and meet her precious daughter!! The final 2 days of our trip before flying home were going to be spent in their home and we couldn’t wait! Hannah just goes with the flow and as long as mommy is near by she’s happy to travel wherever her little car seat takes her. Like mother, like daughter!

We headed back to their home and while their family was at church Hannah and I crashed for over 2 hours! We were bushed from a fun few days at the house in Park City and after our nap we were ready for the fun to begin.

Tawni has 3 amazing sons who were great with Hannah and oh how sweet her boys are! So well mannered, kind and they know how to have a good time too!

Emmett introducing Hannah to the trampoline and oh how she loved that!

Gage and Hannah became fast friends and he loved playing with her and she loved him!

Owen and Hannah hanging out together.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about these 3 amazing little men!! They are kind, thoughtful, loving, playful, encouraging and SO MUCH MORE! Tawni and John, you’re doing a GREAT job raising your beautiful (inside and out) sons!

Hannah and Avery are 10 months apart in age and loved playing together. They’d laugh and giggle, chase one another and oh yah, see what mischief they could get into together too! :o)

Hannah showing Avery her ‘let’s check out the cupboards’ trick. This is something she is a master at right now!

Avery – SO sweet and beautiful too!

Hannah also took to Tawni’s husband John and enjoyed playing games with him and being pulled into his arms with Avery. As a single mom l know how important it is for Hannah to have male role models in her life so I am always so thankful when she has these great times of interacting with my friend’s husbands. John, being the humble *snort* man that he is loved to tease Tawni that Hannah loved him best. Heh!

Monday we met up with our friends at Hatch Family Chocolates from TLC’s ‘The Little Chocolatiers’.

Hannah and I with Katie, one of the owners. Unfortunately her husband was home sick this day. Hope he didn’t catch it from us. :o)

It was good to spend time with Tiffany, Eliza and Sol again as well as Lisa and Maisie. Here Sol and Avery are meeting for the first time. Such precious moments when our children whom we’ve thought of, talked of, prayed for and loved even before we knew them, meet one another!

Unfortunately it was Lisa’s turn with the stomach bug so she headed back to Tiffany’s soon after we met. Thankfully Lisa’s bug didn’t last too long and she was able to enjoy the rest of her vacation.

A group shot in front of the chocolate shop. I’ll attempt to describe the family groups to you….here we go. Tawni’s family is mainly in the back row, l to r: Emmett, Gage, Tawni, Avery and little Owen is in the red. Lisa and Maisie. Front row l to r: Hannah and I, Tiffany holding Sol and Eliza beside her. Precious friends brought together by the miracle of adoption and the gift of blogging! It was 3 weeks ago today that this pic was taken and I tear up a little just looking at it as I miss my bloggy friends from this pic and the others we were able to visit SO much!!!

Hannah posing with Gage and Owen.

We’re of the mind that there’s nothing wrong with chocolate in the morning nor dessert before breakfast so after this visit we headed over to Cafe Rio and enjoyed a delicious lunch together. The last time we were in Salt Lake the gals raved about Cafe Rio but I didn’t get there so I was happy to go this time. Mmmm! What delicious food and the company was even better.

Hannah sharing some ice with Avery. These girlies were crazy about the ice and were so cute about sharing it with one another! Thankfully no babies were bitten in the process! :o)

Tawni with the kiddos. She looks pretty awesome holding 2 babies at once, don’t you think so John??? ;o)

Oh Tawni, what can I say? Our visit was all too short and I miss you already! Next time we won’t rush off so quickly now that I know how well Hannah travels. (By this time in our trip Hannah and I had been away for almost 2 weeks and when booking I was concerned that it might be too much for her but if anything she blossomed as we travelled and enjoyed all of the kiddos we met. More travels are in our future for sure!)

You’re a dear and precious friend and I’m already looking forward to the next time we’re together! Love you! xo