all the way from California...

photo by Keira, upon arrival

We had the great pleasure last week of hosting ancient friends of ours.  The kind who knew us as our just-out-of-teenhood selves.  It feels awesome and incredible that we have known Keira for 20 years and that our friendship still fits like a glove.  Throw kids into the mix and hooha, it's a party!  Sadly, Papa Steve was left behind in California, but the kids - who last saw each other when they were 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively - fell into it quite nicely.

We showed them how we have a good time in the big uptown.  Beer garden caution tape.

This is my wonderful family.

Dan and Keira met in Alaska while in college, at the Wilderness Studies Program, and when we moved to Seattle a year later she and her family became our family away from home.  We became adults together - back-country hiking trips, relationships, weddings, births, parenting...many stories and a lot of love.  The three of us camped out in our living room at night, and talked until two in the morning.  A magical slumber party.

It is always something to have your kid be drawn to someone she doesn't know but knows you love.  Keira told me that Eliza told her, "we really have a lot to catch up on!"  They made quick work of it.

Thank you for coming, dear friends! Thank you for loving us! Next time in California...