Memorial Day morning we packed up and said sad good-byes to our friends in South Houston. The plan was to drive to North Houston and spend the afternoon with good friends, the Rogers, then continue on that evening to our next destination - San Antonio.
Mark and I became friends with Brandon and Kathy while living in Wymount at BYU. We bonded over BYU football games, Kathy's homemade cookies (and homemade everything else), and a shared fondness for the name "Aubree" (their oldest daughter is also "Aubrey"). They moved to Houston shortly before our Aubree was born and I hadn't had the chance to see them since.
My kids weren't quite sure what to expect visiting people they'd never met, but the Rogers children (all 5 of them) are kind and generous and smart and outgoing. My three were swept along with the happy tide. Everyone talked and played and laughed and feasted on fresh-picked blueberries.
After lunch we headed over to their neighborhood pool and enjoyed a fun afternoon in the sun. Aubree and Bryce frolicked in the kiddie-pool and we were reminded of what it was like to live in a hot, sunny area (it's still too chilly to want to go swimming here in Seattle).
Thane wasn't feeling very well (day 2 of a fever that, at that point, I still thought was a result of his MMR vaccination), and alternated between wanting to jump around in the water and wanting to be cuddled close.
When it was time to leave the pool and get ready to say good-bye, Aubree sighed, "Oh! I wish we could stay longer, I'm having so much fun!"
Brandon and Kathy immediately offered to let us stay the night so we could continue to talk and play. So Aubree got her wish.
Aubree was in friend heaven; she alternated playing with each of the three girls - Aubrey (9), Emma (7), and Kirsten (5). When she learned she could sleep in their room (and read before bed), she bounced with excitement.
Around 9 pm, Aubrey R. quietly slipped out of her bedroom. "Mom," she called calmly, "I need your help. There's a cricket loose and it's jumping on Aubree's head."
Bryce also had a great playmate - Miles, who is just one month older. Where Bryce is deliberate and cautious, Miles is adventurous and eager. They balanced each other well and spent a substantial amount of their time racing cars on Miles' track.
Unfortunately, we did have to leave the next morning to continue our adventures. Kathy sent us on our way with a scrumptious breakfast of blueberry pancakes and we were left with a 3 hour drive to consider the irony that by visiting, we only miss them more.
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