PW Retreat ;) 2008

Well the get together was a hit! I flew to California to meet up with a handful of the pastor's wives that I know online. We know each other so well on line, but I had only met one of them in person before Friday afternoon. It was a great time...except that Alida and I liked the spam sushi. Yeah...disturbing to thing about but it wasn't bad! Quite humbling after we had razzed Joann about it so much!

All the ladies were true to their fun personalities on here except for one. (just because she has not shown her true persona to us online yet) We must get the MrsDeacon to post more often. She is a hoot....we must find some way for her to swing her hands around while she 'talks' or types online. heehee

We made it to Phx in time to drop Hannah off at home (she still had a weird stomach and had to do homework too) and Charles , Maggie and I went to a get together with the families of the guys who went to Africa together. It was fun, but I am SO tired now.

The whole trip was just wonderful...being with the pdubs, the food (Tanya and Joann!).

The beach in Santa Barbara (we just know the baby seal has had a happy story to tell of rescue and rejoining his fretting mom someday....... and not a sudden or lingering ending, right?),

The Magic Castle and trying to keep up with Joann leading us up and down stairways, through uneven passageways and talking with Erma, (the dude with a freakish and unchanging smile while bobbing his head to techno music....eh, scary).

Solvang (great coffee and pancakes btw)

Sitting around the 'fire' at night and around Father Rich's office all morning, drinking coffee and laughing our heads off.

And I have to tell you girls that when Alida laughs, everyone laughs. She has such a contagious, unhindered sense of humor (anyone here has seen Stevie Wonder's wife?) and she is a blast to hang out with.

Nadia (she is 5) announcing she was running away from home this morning. lol And Luke's (he is 7) face when I told him I'd never had sushi...I think he felt sorry for me.

Hearing Nomi's work stories. Thank you for doing the dishes each day too Nomi!

Jessica and Alena jamming on the piano and guitar!! You girls make a good team and spar awfully well too. ;)

Hannah and Alida off in a corner talking of Russian authors. (we just all looked at them in awe....lol)

Seeing that even though Joann says she is not a people person, she really is and we just loved having her as our host and our leader (even though she walks FAST). She is the kind of person you could just sit and talk to for hours or sing Amy Grant songs with in a public restroom.

Visiting with Tanya as she drove us to and from the airport. You know, you can cover a LOT of topics while driving 30 minutes to the airport if you both get off on rabbit trails a lot as a rule. lol

Special thanks to Joann and her really great family for hosting this and all pitching in to make a fun, sweet, memorable time for all of us! Alena was kind of explaining it this morning. Their home just exudes a very peaceful attitude. Even though they deal with a gazillion (approximately) emergencies or little distractions per day, neither one of them got ruffled, but smoothly sailed through each event with lots of composure and gracefully handled each thing. (including an ER run with the 5 year old just before we all got there and Father Rich driving across town to get us the right kind of sushi wrapping papers!) It was pretty cool to see! And their kids all take after that too, just easy going and when it was their turn to do something, they just did it with love and no complaining! (that we heard at least!)

I made tons of memories and inside jokes with some great friends this weekend. Thank you to my dear husband for letting me go, even though he just got back from Africa himself. And thanks to my Hannah for going with me, spending her 21st birthday with all of MY friends (who are now hers too) and being so adventurous and fun yourownself!