Visiting Peoria

On this trip back to the States we were lucky enough to get some time to make it back to Peoria to catch up with friends. The most important little person I needed to see was little Norah Westphalen, newly born daughter of my dear friend Amity. We picked the hottest day of the year to visit as we tried a walk down to the park but were threatened by a storm shower so we came back...as you can see Addison's little ringlets starting coming out with all the humidity. We got to spend our whole first day with Amity and Norah and it was so nice.

Day 2 we met up with my friend Tara and her kids to go to Dragonland, a water park in Pekin. It was quite a trek down there but the kids had a blast. Unfortunately a huge storm came up on us after only be there about an hour so we had to leave. I took the rest of the afternoon driving around the countryside looking for potential places to live someday. Wow, it was so weird doing that and all the flash backs that kept swirling in my mind.

Day 3 in Peoria brought us down to Bloomington where I got to meet up with some of my old work colleagues from Evergreen FS and GROWMARK. Again the flash backs of my previous life almost overwhelmed me as I drove into the Growmark parking lot and then into Evergreen's. It was so wonderful to see everyone though and introduce my kids to them all. Some of them had seen Addison when she was just a wee little thing but never met Harry. Oh how I missed them all and got an itch to get back to work...ha ha. It was so cute though that when we pulled up to Evergreen's offices...Addison said, "Mommy, your office is so beautiful." I promptly replied that my office is at home because that is where I work now. On our way back I stopped to get some fuel and my how things have changed. The stupid gas pump wanted to know my zip code???? Since I don't have one it got all flustered with me and I had to go inside the store against the whole purpose of my trying to pay at the pump. After that we went to a pizza party at our good friends the Bosely's who always open their house to events for the whole gang. What was so uncanny this time is that what went from a bunch of newly married couples 3 years ago was a room now full of little kids and babies. Time as flown by!!!

On Friday a dear friend who I met in England hosted a little ISE reunion at her house. We had a really nice lunch by the pool and then we all piled in the pool to cool down. Amy is an amazing hostess and it was so great to see her, Jenny, Marti, and Amber again. So surreal to see such good friends totally out of the place you knew them from. Lots of great conversations and good times....like no time at all had passed and we were back in the UK again (but with hot weather and a pool!!!)

That night good friends, Trent and Diana, hosted a BBQ at their house for us and few other friends to get a final night of good visiting in before we had to head back to IA and Kevin to catch his flight back to the UK. Trent, bless him, took the entire day off so that he could mow and clean up and get groceries.

Throughout the week our kiddos got to play with Wade and Tara's trio, Alli, Grace and Hudson. They really played well together and were instant friends.

I was so glad we got to get back to P-town to remind me about all the great things there are to come back to. Most likely we'll be moving back by next summer and I have no idea where the last 3 years have gone. Thanks everyone for making our visit back so wonderful!!!!