After I returned from Oregon, I went down to visit my friends in Irvine (the Pence family) and Ladera Ranch (the Engel family). I went to college with Joe and Janie Pence and have just recently reconnected with them. I had a wonderful time 
visiting with them and getting to know their three kids, whom I just adore! Monett Engel is a dear friend from high school. She and her husband, Brian, just had a beautiful baby girl named Milanna. It was so much fun visiting with them and having a chance to meet Milanna for the first time. Monett surprised me when I got down there because she had set up lunch with another one of our friends from high school, Darcy, and her little girl, Morgan. I have not seen Darcy since, well, high school, so that was a joy! I think that one of my favorite things about growing up and getting (yikes!) older is seeing friends have kids. It is fun seeing different physical and character qualities the children possess that are just like their moms and dads! And did you notice? I am not wearing the green sweatshirt!
I think I am seeing a theme here. The theme being that clearly I wear that green hooded sweatshirt way too much. I do like green, but this is getting ridiculous. My goal should be to make sure I don't ever wear that sweatshirt in any pictures from this point on. At the end of June I got a call from my dear friends, the Davidsons (oh heck--they are like my family!), asking if I would like to come along with them on their annual trip up to Florence, Oregon. I have been with them once before and it didn't take me long to realize that going up there for a week would be a welcome contrast to the heat of the desert. So, I accepted their gracious offer and headed up to the Oregon Coast for 9 days! The drive up there and back was very long, but the relaxing days in between made it all worthwhile! The town of Florence is charming, but also has enough stores and restaurants that you don't feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. Lake Woahink is where we spent most of our days and those brave enough to waterski were greeted with very nice conditions on the lake.
The picture of Amy and me shows one of the few times that the sun peeked through and we actually saw some blue sky! I thoroughly enjoyed the break from the heat since temperatures never really got out of the 70s. On 4th of July, we stood on the drawbridge that crosses into Florence and watched fireworks. I love fireworks, but after seeing them over the water, I am spoiled--it was gorgeous. The reflection in the water just made them even more beautiful!
visiting with them and getting to know their three kids, whom I just adore! Monett Engel is a dear friend from high school. She and her husband, Brian, just had a beautiful baby girl named Milanna. It was so much fun visiting with them and having a chance to meet Milanna for the first time. Monett surprised me when I got down there because she had set up lunch with another one of our friends from high school, Darcy, and her little girl, Morgan. I have not seen Darcy since, well, high school, so that was a joy! I think that one of my favorite things about growing up and getting (yikes!) older is seeing friends have kids. It is fun seeing different physical and character qualities the children possess that are just like their moms and dads! 
