My Strangest Friend

Me, Sandra and the kids (her little boy is just a few weeks older than Alexee).

This has been a busy but fun weekend! Friday night I went to the airport to pick up my friend Sandra and her husband and son (check out their blog sometime--they always post such neat things!). They have lived in China for almost four years, but they are back in the States until Christmas. Sandra & I became friends my sophomore year at OBU when we did a semester study abroad program together in Salzburg, Austria. While I was gone to help with Leslie's baby shower, Lane took our kids and Sandra & family to the church playground. When I called to tell them I was on my way home, I asked what they were doing and Lane told me that Shorel was making fajitas (Purple Cow was too busy after the playground trip). My next question was "out of what!?" He'd found a package of chicken in our freezer and an onion and some seasonings in the pantry. They smelled great when I got home--too bad I'd already eaten! I thought it was interesting because I guess I've gotten so used to the pre-packaged/convenience cooking that we have available at our grocery stores that it seemed to me like our fridge and pantry were bare. I don't think they have the same conveniences where they live--they are very good cooks and very resourceful!

After the baby shower, I drove them to a nearby town to pick up a car that has been loaned to them during their stay. While we were waiting for Shorel to get instructions from the dentist who was loaning the vehicle, we were sitting in the car and Sandra said, "I think I'm surely your strangest friend." I laughed and agreed, and said that was fine--it makes our friendship really interesting. She said that she always has strange requests...like the time not long ago that she e-mailed me from China and asked me if I could check out a few children's books from our library and type out the English version for her so that she could translate Schäfer's dinosaur books that were written in Chinese. I was happy to help--Rhett actually enjoyed the books while they were on loan.

It was really really good to see them and to meet their little boy for the first time--he's so sweet and smart! Thanks, Sandra & family, for stopping by!