Monday Musings on our Northwest Trip

So, next Monday will be the 20th anniversary of when Mark and I first met! Twenty years, people. We wanted to do something special to honor and celebrate this special occasion, and after much thought and discussion, we decided to take the boys to Washington to show them where it all started. 

We were able to hook up with MSG Lykles, my First Sergeant in the Army. Bob and Priscilla gave up a sunny afternoon to graciously host us and feed us Bob's favorite dessert, angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream! Sgt. Lykles rode shotgun as we toured Fort Lewis, only now, it is called Joint Base Lewis McChord and it looks so different fifteen years after leaving. My detachment's office building brought back memories of hard work and a fierce camaraderie that existed to make us an effective unit. Mark pointed out the treacherous hill that his Ranger battalion used for training.  

We then posed for a picture in front of the dining hall where, once upon a time, light conversation turned into a cup of coffee, and the rest is history!

Oh, how we LOVE Washington, especially Olympia. We took the boys by our old apartments and spent time at our fav Oly hangout, the Farmer's Market. Curry in a Hurry still offers a delicious chicken and veggie plate that coats your tongue with spicy curry sauce.  Mark was all over crab cakes and coleslaw from the next venue at the Market. Miles relished his time at Rainy Day Records and found a few CDs for under a dollar. It was then a treat to visit Radiance, the tea and herbal boutique that introduced me to essential oils! 

Of course, we had to see Pike's Place Market, the Space Needle, and grab a Mariner's game. It really was wonderful breaking our regular schedule and just enjoying time in the Northwest with my family. It felt like we were home. 

The sights and sounds of the Pacific Northwest were great, but what I really enjoyed was reconnecting with friends over the week we were there. Saturday before the game, we had lunch with Pete and his beautiful, blonde-haired children. Pete picked me up from Sea-Tac when I unexpectedly flew in from Nicaragua, only to find Mark and Miles in South Carolina! This was, of course, before cell phones! After the game, we visited with Kurt and Lisa, an awesome couple who used to live on First Ave and who always made us wonder if we'd be cool like them one day. Todd and his gorgeous bride, Grace, joined us for dessert later on, and it was a treat to catch up with what's going on in their lives. 

The Hospitality Honor goes to Kevin and Jeanine, who housed us the night we flew into Portland, toured the Tillamook Cheese factory with us, shared their Rockaway Beach house with us the next day, cooked up corn on the cob and brats the evening before we flew out, and again let us crash on their couches the last night we were in the Pacific Northwest. Jeanine is a licensed massage therapist, and when she offered to give me a relaxation massage, guess what I said? Traveling long miles and sleeping in hotel beds can crink and cramp up a person!

This week I'll be highlighting biscotti I found at the Farmer's Market and then later this week I'll be chatting about, "What if we had never moved?" 

Until then, I'd love to hear how and where you met your honey! Do you still live around the same area? How long have you guys been hanging out together? Talk to you soon!