The Trip to the States (1)

2/6/07 - check it out...two nights in a row...what the heck is going on....i decided i need to catch up before i go away again...which is happening in less than two weeks...and i promised some folks they would make the blog...so here goes....my trip back to the states was just under three weeks and it was awesome...the family, the friends, the food, the driving, even the weather...it was just a wonderful, relaxing time where i did NOT think about work once...yahoo!!! it was nice to be in a place where there aren't tons of stray dogs, or garbage blowing everywhere...where i knew where to find anything i wanted in a grocery store, and if there was something i couldn't find, i was confident i could ask for it and the saleperson would understand what i was looking for...it was just good to be back....but of course there were things that reminded me that its not really where i should be living....the biggest being geroge w. in my face on every channel...i don't get that here in romania...and that's a great thing....but here are picture of some of the folks i visited with...thanks to all who met me for food or drinks or gave me a place to stay and hang...and thanks for all the new stories :) these pictures are not in any kind of order...hope you don't mind

this first shot is of my good friends belkys and luis...the DAY BEFORE belkys gave birth to their first child - mikaela...a very cute little girl....and these are her proud parents...good friends of mine who i lived in ecuador with....congrats to them and their entire family :) (send pictures when you have them of that cute girl of yours :) it was great to have the "group home" crew together again :)

this shot is of my mom and her card group...most of these awesome women i have known all my life...they are like my alternate moms :) we got together for the christmas gift exchange, and they all brought their favorite cookies to make...yummy!!! such great women :)

this shot is of sarah, dan, betsy and myself...sarah is a good frined of mine from seattle...who teachs in boston and her folks live in PA...so we try to get together at least once when we are in the same general vicinity :) i joined them for some tasty take-out...such a wonderful family :)

this shot is of me and my good friend dan from the south pole...we met there and found out we lived only 40 minutes from each other when we were growing up....dan is in seattle these days, but still goes home to PA for the holiday...lucky for me...we hung out for an afternoon catching up....what a wonderful time :)
here is a shot of dan, lisa and matty...good friends of mine from volleyball a long, long time ago...there is a member of the family missing...josie...she's getting bounced in her bouncy chair down below the level of the picture...i hope she forgives me for not getting her with the rest of the family...but i swear she is there...they had me over for a tasty dinner and hanging out time :)
here's a shot of my good friend greg and his super cool girlfriend jess, who i was meeting for the first time...we had a great breakfast hanging out and catching up...it was a bunch of fun :)

i had two nights of make-shift high school reunions...it was a blast...and this year is actually my 20th year of graduating from high school...i think this is kind of cool...but i don't feel like its been 20 years...but i have done a lot since that time a long time ago :)

here are some cool folks i hung out with all the time about 20 years ago :) there is shannon, heidi and tim...it was a blast getting everyone together with wives, husbands and financees and such fun to see where folks have gone and where they are headed....it was a just a bunch of fun :)

some other folks who came along for the great valley ride, but were not in high school with me were my friends above...my friend lane - far left - is someone i know from the ice...nice guy who lives/grew up about 30 minutes from where i grew up...this man brought me salt water taffy...yummy....and then my friends joan and kenny....met these folks a few years ago and we have lots of fun everytime we hang :) so glad these three could make out with my high school friends and i one night...it was a good time had by all...

next up are my good friends jen and tracy from science explorer days :) as you can see tracy was pregnant and looking great...she has now had another little boy...this makes her third...so cute...and jen is in the process of figuring out her wedding and the science explorer [part of her life...she owns the company...it was a delicious lunch with the two of them...out in the middle of amish country...rock on science explorer gals....

this is me and my good friend kelley...a friend from my boston days...she actually was in the PA area so we met one afternoon for lunch...it was great to see her and catch up and wish her congratulations in person for her exciting new job :) yahoo!!! let's hear it for the bad sistahs...

this last shot for this post is my good friend lea...aka pinky...i was in NYC with her for a rockin' new years eve...she has become one of the most incredible hula-hoopers in all of NY...she is a burlesque dancer and is amazing on stage...such fun presence...i am so glad i got to see her dance and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else for new years...thanks pinky...love ya :) i will try and finish up this visit in my next post...but its late and i need to crash...hope you enjoyed seeing my friends and hearing their stories for yourselves....til the next post :)