Together Again!

Ulmer, Me, Emmy


Some people collect objects. You know the type---their house is full of figurines, their backpack can't possibly fit another pin / patch, or their lawn is full of eclectic objects, like gnomes. I like to be a bit different: I collect friends.

People often tell me that they're amazed that I stay in touch with / keep track of so many different people that have been apart of my life at so many different places and times! I'm proud of my collection, because each person is so special and unique to me. I can mark the milestones of my life by my friends.

Yesterday I went out with two of my very favorite pieces of my friend collection: Ulmer and Emmy!! The three of us met because we played softball together for Boise High, we hung out because we got along and understood each other during those awkward high school years, and we stay in touch because, well, life just wouldn't be the same without each other.

Emmy currently lives in Arkansas, so we let her pick the place: Old Chicago. How fun! It was great to see two amazing women and catch up over lunch. It has become a semi-annual tradition: once in the summer, once around Christmastime---whenever the three of us happen to all be in Boise at the same time.

Ulmer and I are looking to expand the tradition a la ROAD TRIP TO ARKANSAS! We have both decided it will be a cultural experience to visit Em in her natural habitat. We're working on it...

Welcome Chase Courtney Brown!

John, Bella, Chase, and Courtney Brown!


Grandma Alice (Courtney's Sweet Mom) and Chase

Chelsea, my sister, holding Chase

On Sunday night we met Chase for the first time! Chase is such a miracle baby! He doesn't know yet how incredibly blessed he is to have John and Courtney as his parents. Courtney is one of my dearest friends from high school, and her husband John is the perfect match for her. We also enjoyed spending time with Bella, John and Courtney's spirited three-year-old. It was great fun for me to push Bella on the swings! They are a beautiful little family!

Simple, really...

Last night we went to our friend's house to welcome baby Chase Courtney Brown into the world. Chase is the newest addition to the Brown family. It was great to see my friend Courtney, her husband John, their three-year-old daughter Bella, and baby Chase.

I did not attend alone. My Momma, Chelsea (my sister-in-law, but mostly I just call her my sister---she is Jud's wife), my oldest nephew Conner, and my youngest nephew Landon. The five of us had a great time at Chase's welcome party (more on that later...).

On the way home, we took Ten Mile Road past the farmland near my Mom's house. We decided it was too cold for the A/C, the temperature was near-perfect....so we rolled down the windows to enjoy a late summer evening drive. Almost immediately, I wrinkled my nose. I have decided that I am most definitely allergic to the country. Gross. I said to everyone in the car, "Sick! It smells! Eeeeeew!"

My adorable nephew Conner said back, "It's okay Aunt Lori. It's just dog poop."

Dog poop, cow manure, same thing to a three year old. =)

Craig's Ladies

Craig took my Mom, my Great Aunt Ethel Mae, and me out to dinner at McGrath's on Sunday night---a fun seafood restaurant in Boise. Every Christmas Eve growing up, our family used to go to McGrath's after Christmas Eve services at church.

After my Dad died, I didn't really ever go to McGrath's. If the choice was between McGrath's and most anywhere else, I would pick anywhere else.

This past Sunday, August 3, would have been my Dad's birthday. Craig and I told my Mom we would take her out on Sunday night, and she could pick anywhere that she wanted to go---and she picked McGrath's. The four of us piled into the car---Craig, my Mom, my Great Aunt Ethel Mae, and me---and headed out to McGrath's.

Dinner was fabulous! All four of us ordered completely different dishes, and they were all equally different and equally tasty. I smiled, even as Craig prayed before dinner, and I heard my Mom choke back tears as Craig asked for blessings on our family that remained.

After prayer, we all did a loud, "Cheers" that lightened the mood. I looked over as Craig smiled when he said, "I feel like the luckiest guy, out here with my three favorite ladies. I love my ladies." And I'm sure, somewhere, my Dad smiled too, knowing that his three ladies were being taken care of by someone as great as Craig.

The straw that broke the camel's back...

Dear friends of ours, the Browns, were just blessed with another miracle baby, Chase. I called Courtney, Chase's beautiful Mom, for details about their little one's arrival. During the course of the conversation, Courtney said, "Lor, I wrote all of this on my blog. You should check it out."

Blogs are interesting. I'm naturally a bit concerned about the privacy factor (I've heard some seriously creepy stories...), but even more than privacy, my company does not allow employees to maintain blogs. Under any circumstances.

Under most circumstances! I went into my boss' office this morning and asked if I could keep a personal blog. He mentioned the company's blog policy, and I explained that I understood the policy, but gosh darn it, it just wasn't fair (I used different words in the meeting with my boss). My boss thinks that I'm pretty cool (again, personal interpretation...), so he called our corporate office to request special permission (I would explain this in greater detail, but......).

Permission was granted this afternoon! Well, it was granted with stipulations. I cannot, under any circumstances, mention the name of the company I work for. I cannot mention anything about my office, contact information, office information, co-worker information, or anything else that is remotely related to my work at my office.

Craig and I love to watch the Office on NBC. Seriously hilarious---very smart writers, great actors (coincidentally introduced to us by the Brown Family as well....hmmmm.....). Sometimes my office does resemble that fabulous TV show, but alas, I cannot tell any stories related to work on my blog.

I guess I will proceed, with caution...