cheers.

I met Beth through church.

I forget how exactly.

But I think it’s pretty possible that I started reading her blog before I actually met her face to face.

Because that happens sometimes.

Even when you live in the same town.

And attend the same church.

What I like about Beth in real life is what I like about Beth in blog-life.

She’s funny.  She’s regular.  She’s real.

She cares deeply about her family.  She is passionate about seeking God in all things.  And she knows what it’s like to home school one kid with a couple more under foot.

Now we’re pretty new at our friendship – just a few months in, I guess.

And so we’ve hung out a handful of times with the kids, minus the men.

But that couldn’t go on forever.

This weekend we decided it was time to arrange the packed dates on our calendars to collide with one another

and intersect in a dinner/hang out session at our house.

Four adults.  Nine not-adults.

Food was consumed.

Outdoors.

Everywhere.

Kids were in the stream.

Out of the stream.

In the stream.

Out of the stream.

Forts were built.  Costumes were worn.  Berg’s new Night Vision goggles were employed.

Kevin and Andy were able to officially exchange more than three sentences of conversation.

Turns out, they have a lot in common.

Music, beverage choice, movies, beards,

even head covering preferences.

The entire evening was so pleasant.

The trees were shady,

the breeze was blowy,

the conversation flowy.

Eventually the party headed inside.

Where children danced.

And Andy played guitar and we all sang.

(Well, mostly all of us.  I’m still tone-deaf, remember?)

And Beth figured out how to auto tune Andy.

I think it was a splendid first meeting of both entire families.

One that I should like very much to repeat.

I only wish we had never talked about our ages.

Because then I realized that Kevin and I are,

in fact,

the Old Couple.

Which implies that we should know better

or be more experienced

or have fully arrived someplace.

Which,

of course,

we have not.

And I always feel a little guilty,

a little ashamed,

for still feeling so new

at mostly everything.

When my age implies that I should,

instead,

be kind of seasoned

at some things.

Ah, new friendships.

They are as refreshing as they are revealing.

Many thanks Andy and Beth – please come hang with us again.