Soul Friend

Sorry I've been missing in action for the last week or so, but I had a VERY good excuse. My friend UC (her German name is unpronounceable by Americans so in the US she goes by her initials) came and visited from Germany for the week. It was wonderful.

We meet in my Junior year of High School when she was a foreign exchange student, and we haven't seen each other for over 8 years. I was so worried before she came that it would be awkward between us or that we wouldn't have anything in common, but as soon as we met at the airport is was like we had never been apart. We had SO MUCH to talk about all week and had some WONDERFUL conversations. I feel like we are better friends now than we ever were before. I don't know how to explain it but there are just some friends who are "soul friends" and who you know will ALWAYS be your friend no matter how life changes or where it takes you. I truly believe that God knows that there are certain people who need each other and somehow or another (even if they live on opposite sides of the world) he brings those people together. UC is one of those friends and she is such a blessing in my life. It is fun to know that she will always be my friend and that I have someone to visit if I ever make it to Europe (someday!!!!!!) We really had such a good time together.

One of my favorite things we did when she was here was go to the Mountain Man Rendezvous, which was a gathering of some of the strangest people I've ever seen. They had a camp all set up to feel like it was the 1820s and almost everyone was dressed up-- we actually felt like the "weird" ones because we weren't dressed up like Indians or Mountain Men. Next time we go we'll have to deck ourselves out in full Mountain Man splendor.

This old man was my favorite-- he was quite the character. He had a whole blanket full of strange things for sale, and he told Jon that he had gotten most of the knives at the DI (thrift store) but that now the people there were "gettin smart and chargin more for em."

We also went on a few hikes and UC didn't have a hat so she got creative with her scarf.

She was also enthralled by "weird American" things like-- drive up banks, huge garbage cans, getting your mail out of the mail box IN FRONT of your house, German chocolate cake that is NOT German (neither are German pancakes for that matter) and HUGE American trucks like this one

It was fun to see America and Americans through her eyes, and I guess we are kind of strange. BUT Germans do have "American cakes" that they eat which are NOT American-- we made them and the closest thing they resemble is a big lemony sugar cookie.

Asher really loved having UC come visit. He was quite enthralled with her. This is him trying to give her a flower.

And this just happens to be THE CUTEST picture of Asher EVER!

We love you UC and miss you! Thanks for all the wonderful memories.