SEATTLE REUNION...

Getting back together with the old gang...this time in Seattle!  We have now vacationed with these folks in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, South Carolina, New York, Washington D.C. and now Washington state.  Such a blessing every time we get together.  We have a bond that goes 29 years deep - through mutual faith in God and commitment to marriage.  Our friendship has survived moves and raising kids and even some tragedies with a sweet admiration and encouragement for each other.

At Pike Place Market

One of the best things we did was go on a Food Tour at the market.  Our guide was Leslie, and she was terrific!  She told us about the history of the 100 yr old market (can't believe they almost tore it down in the 70's to build a hockey rink) and took us to some lesser known food stalls and stores.  We tasted everything from salmon to crumpets to truffle oil!

I'm a Chihuly fan, and the Chihuly garden and museum just opened a month ago at the base of the Space Needle!  It's incredible and I had never seen one of his installations outside in a garden setting.  Breathtaking!  The sculptures just come to life and remind me of plants and animals.

My hubby took this of the Space Needle in the reflection of one of the glass balls.  Love it.

All of us (including one of our 12 kids who WANTED to come on the trip) eating Thai.

The troll under the bridge at Fremont didn't scare us away!

We didn't ride this but got a view from a boat ride - it's fairly new and they told us the one black car is special - if you pay for that one you get a glass bottom car - no thank you on that one!  The boat ride was good and informative, too, just had a hard time hearing the speaker over the drunk Texans!

Somebody was pole dancing on the trolley...our silly husbands!

The last night - the brave ones of the group eating oysters!

Oh, this is out of order but I had to include it.  A perfect view of Mt. Rainier from my plane window!  I didn't know how special this was until we were told that you can only see the mountain about 90 days a year, and many of those days it is hazy with clouds.  It stands about a mile higher than anything else around.  Amazing.

I decided Seattle is pretty neat but even better is the time spent with these friends.  I think it could easily pass as a Marriage Enrichment Seminar for all of us.  We always worship with a private devotional on Sundays and it's so sweet.  Good for all of us and it's how God meant the church to be - Christians loving and supporting one another through thick and thin!