The City of Sisterly Love!

Last week I had the awesome opportunity to travel down to Philly via train to visit my one-and-only, dear, sweet friend Jennie Vance. Jennie and I were roommates (unofficially and then officially, haha!) our freshman and sophomore years at the Y, but more than that we're eternal best friends. We have soo much in common, that I know we were just meant to find each other and stick together like magnets with superglue on them. Unfortunately life has taken us to separate cities, so we haven't had a chance to see each other as much as we'd like--although we do spend enough time on the phone to try and make up for the distance. And although chatting on the phone is great, but there's nothing like just being together. We made the most of our time by going to a farm to pick blackberries, visiting the Philadelphia zoo with our darling babes, making bread, playing outside (in her very own backyard!), watching chick flicks, painting our toenails, and talking into the wee hours of the night like the world might end the next day.

"Aaaaai, da!" Felix LOVED the zoo, and now says "Aaaai" to every animal (live or stuffed) and insect, and sometimes books and toys too. But not to other people. They're not furry and cute enough.

I was especially glad to be able to meet and hold her precious new daughter, Meili Grace! She is a tiny bundle of adorableness, and Jennie is falling right into her new role as double-mom (and new homeowner) with characteristic coolheaded passion. One of the things I admire most about Jennie (of many!) is her ability to experience a breadth of emotions without letting them overpower her rational abilities. I'm still working on the whole bridling-my-emotions thing, but I figure with enough practice I might be able to be more like her when I grow up. :D (Thank you so very much for your generosity, friendship, and example, Jennie!)

The only question remaining is... why in the world did I not get any pictures of Jennie and me?? Guess these snapshots from our Freshman year will have to do (we look pretty much the same, right? Except with wedding rings and different haircuts maybe. Sure...):

*Note: In like 95% of pictures from my Freshman and Sophomore years, I'm wearing Jennie's clothes, or occasionally another person's. But usually Jennie's, and often it's like the whole dang outfit, right down to borrowed earrings and necklace. Jennie's rather petite, so a lot of times clothes are a little big on her (or at least they are after I've borrowed them a few times), so Jennie got in the habit of giving me her hand-me-ups. The reason that is so completely awesome is that Brian and I are supa poor now (wait, we've always been), but we're also frugal to a blaring fault, so I rarely buy new clothes. When I do, it's like the $3 clearance jean capris from Plato's Closet (so cool). So Jennie's donations to the "Help Laura Dress Better Foundation" (fully tax-deductible) are incredibly well-appreciated. Jennie even had the supreme charity of giving me seriously like a dozen adorable shirts/pants to take back from Philly. Maybe it makes me look even more impoverished to say all that, but I just think Jennie is the most generous person in the whole world. (By the way, I definitely owe Jennie like a $500 gift card to Ann Taylor. The minute I become rich...)