I’m home…sigh…and I miss Val…
Well I must say that my trip to visit Val was amazing. It was all I hoped it would be and I’m very, very sad that she lives way out there and not closer to me (I cried as I was walking up to the security check-in at the airport). I didn’t want to say “good-bye” because that sounded so final and over. I guess it just means we’ll be doing a bit of traveling in the future to visit back and forth, right Val?
We had a great time getting to know each other in person, hosting a halloween party, shopping, going out to eat, pictures, more visiting, laughing, blogging, and just being together. She is so fun and so sweet and even though I know it was a very, very busy weekend for her, she was a great hostess. Her family is so great and I felt very at home and comfortable there. She showed me lots of the beautiful homes around her town and the city where she used to live (the architecture is amazing), I saw where she and Neil grew up, I got to shop at a few of her favorite stores (yay Von Maur and It’s a Girl Thing), meet some of their family, and ate at a few of their favorite restaurants (sorry Alexis!). It was relaxing and busy at the same time. It was nice to be without my kids for 5 days and just blend in with her life.
We discovered more and more similarities the longer I was there and a few differences, the biggest being she drinks coffee and I don’t! I can’t even begin to explain how it felt to get off a plane in a place I’d never been, waiting to stay with and meet people I’d never met. And then Val walked through the airport doors and it was like seeing an old friend after a long absence. I was overwhelmed with how we just fell into a comfortable rhythm. I kept doing double takes when she’d walk into a room because I was so amazed that she was really in the same place as me, breathing the same air and not just a picture on her blog or words I was reading. I had a picture of this sweet, bubbly, wonderful girl in my head and she was even better. She’s an awesome mama to her two sweet kids, a wonderful photographer, a gracious hostess, and now I can call her my dear friend…”my Val!”
I stole some pictures from her and I have some of my own and there’s a few more from our photo shoot. Here’s just a couple highlights (click to make bigger) and I’m putting all my pictures on Facebook, links to come.
Some halloween pics…
Me and “My Val”
More of the lovely shots by Val that she took at Allerton Park.
“My Erin”, how I miss you. What a sweet post. Tears started to well up but I won’t let that happen. I know we’ll see each other again and talk tons and tons. We’ve alreay emailed HOW MANY times today???
All the this you said, I say “Ditto!” to. And out of those bottom two pictures, I loooove the top one. That one is going on my website. I hope that’s okay? 
Trying to work on more as I pray while sitting in front of my computer hoping to find those missing files, but my hopes are whithering more and more. 
xoxoxoxo
Val
P.S. Now *I* need to meet your pals . . . Louise (ohmygoodness do I have to meet Louise!) and Tara and . . . well, just all the Canadians!
Long live stocking caps! (*giggle*!)
Comment by Val — October 24, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
can I edit? Man I made lots of typos. Oh well. Like, “all the this you said” is suppose to me “all the things you said”. Dir.
Comment by Val — October 24, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
im so pleased you had a fab time
you guys made me cry
Comment by jen — October 24, 2007 @ 8:17 pm
the pics of you are beautiful erin - stunning!!!!
glad you had a blast!!!
Comment by esther — October 24, 2007 @ 9:18 pm
Sounds like you had a great time! Val sounds like such a wonderful person, hopefully one day when she comes here we can meet! And Val, I love, love , love coffee!
Comment by Tara — October 24, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
Oh, and of course the pictures of you are beautiful! But you knew that, right?
Comment by Tara — October 24, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
Erin I am SOOO happy for you that you got this chance to meet a ’soul sister’ that is just TOOOO cool!!
I wanna hear all about it yet I was gabbing too much at coffee today…opps!! Lets scrapbook sometime and then well the chatting takes place so naturally…LOL!!
Love you lots and you are one GORGEOUS chick….look out world here comes Erin the babe!!!
We’ll have to convince Val to come out here for a visit!!!
Love ya bunches!!
Comment by Louise — October 25, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
Oh did I mention how much I love the pictures of you…heehee!!!
Comment by Louise — October 25, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
I’m glad you had a great visit. Val is a special person.
Comment by Alexis — November 1, 2007 @ 11:26 am
I’m so glad you and Val got to meet! Wish I could have been there… darn morning (or all day) sickness!
Comment by Corie — November 1, 2007 @ 2:13 pm