Kara Please Don't Go...

This week Jay and I watch our dear friends Jordan and Kara move up to Quantico.  They have been such  wonderful friends, and although this is not goodbye, it will be hard to not see them every week. They just got back last week from Africa, bringing home their second child from an orphanage in Nigeria.  I have fallen in love with little Ajuma as fast as I fell in love with Job.

Me with a sleeping Ajuma

Our Bible Study girls came over to my house after study Thursday to have a little "Please don't go" brunch.  The turn out was great, and I think everyone was excited to meet Ajuma, eat and chat.

The group gave Kara a signed card and a Target gift card. And I made Kara a diaper bag, so she could throw away the Wal-Mart bag. :)

Kara makes a perfect bag model. :)

Dinner at the Hess'

So... Jay and I very rarely get invited anywhere. Not to sound pathetic (it does, doesn't it?), but once you hit anything more than 2 kids, you are officially off the list of invites for dinner. We love to have people into our home, and truly enjoy the opportunities. Jay and I both LOVE to cook, and I love dishes and table ware, and decorations, etc... So we are a good team (I think!), and we try to invite others over often.
Well, a month ago, Mrs Connie called to invite Jay and I over for dinner at their home. We had to plan weeks ahead, but it worked out and we went last night.
You have to know Mrs. Connie and Mr. Bill. They are old-school V.B. kids. Mrs. Connie graduated from Granby High School, and Mr. Bill grew up in Little Neck. He knows V.B. as "Princess Anne County". They were married in Talbot Park church in 1966, and they are STILL happily married. Mrs. Connie is a retired educator, and Mr. Bill is a retired sales man. She advises my kids on the correct classes to take to prepare for college, and he advises me on local history. Have I mentioned I LOVE them? They are warm, sincere, caring people. I am thinking about kicking their two daughters out of the upstairs bedrooms reserved for their visits, and taking the vacant spot. Needless to say, I was delighted to be invited for dinner. I had been in their gorgeous home on several occasions, but this was Jay's first visit.
When we arrived, Mrs Connie was taking the appetizer and the peach cobbler out of the oven. Jay made jalapeno poppers, and a pistachio dessert, so we set out the pepperoni dip and the poppers and chatted for a bit. Let me tell you, appetizers would have been enough for me, it was delicious. Then Mr. Bill showed Jay his carved shorebirds, and vintage ammunition collections while Mrs Connie finished dinner. Mrs Connie loves vintage fabrics too, and has a wonderful mix of antique pieces as well as mission and beach influences. It works somehow- not cluttered and scattered. She had beautiful china and crystal set for dinner and dessert, and I love looking at her family pieces. So I took a photo of her buffet, since the runner was a line of yo-yo's. YES, I am totally copying that idea. I so appreciated her taking the time to set up such a beautiful table, including fresh daisies in small pots.
Dinner was butterbeans, cucumber salad, tomato pie, shaved corn, and grilled beef. It was so good I stuffed myself. I had not had much to eat all day, and I was ravenous by dinner.
We chatted about everything from TJ's visit to the Naval Academy to hunting. They love our kids, and take a very kind interest in their lives. Of course, that wins any mother's heart.
Our evening ended with dessert and it was fantastic. We cut our visit short at 11pm! Jay got in the car and said, "I didn't even realize the time!" Woah, that is a rarity.
Thank you Mr. Bill and Mrs. Connie for such a lovely evening.

Oh, and I wore at dress I picked up at Anthropologie last summer along with the necklace that Heather made me when we went up to visit the farm on 4th of July weekend. I love how versatile it is. I goes with all kinds of dresses I have. And Jay loves that blue dress on me, so he was complimentary. :)