Seriously. We’d be friends. I think I mean it.

Yes, I am aware that blogging about this event might make you think our family is obsessed.

I give you permission to think as you’d like. (No, really, I give you permission.) (Wait – have you been waiting all this time for me to give you permission for freedom of thought?)

Saturday night we drove to Asheville to a charming book store – Malaprops – to meet the author and the illustrator of some of our family’s favorite novels (and the inspiration for our home and school’s name) The Wildwood Chronicles.

We waited in line on the chilly evening streets of Asheville. I saw three people walk past. I was staring at who I thought was the author – Colin Meloy – and his wife, the illustrator – Carson Ellis – walking down the street. I couldn’t get Kevin’s attention before Mr. Meloy and I made eye contact – solid eye contact. I made an awkward half wave and sort of said “hi” or “hey” or some greeting-style noise. Colin Meloy smiled, nodded his head and made some similar greeting-style noise as well.

Do you remember that name — Colin Meloy? The talented fellow for whom Kevin and I drove to Atlanta a few months ago to listen to him perform?

(Remember – I’ve already granted permission for you to think as you will of us.)

And so we spent an evening listening to a reading by Colin. The couple had a pleasant back and forth as they talked about their past that brought them to where they are – successful author, illustrator, collaborators.

They were funny. They were clever. They were interesting. They were normal. They were people who were once children of the same era Kevin and I were. They loved art and music and literature as children and they felt their parents fostered creativity early on.

As a mother of half a dozen kids, I love a story that begins that way. It offers hope to the day in day out ness of what I am doing. I love a story too that says I knew myself as a child and the part of me that I valued the most then is still a part of me that is true.

That is a hopeful thought.

After we listened we waited in line to sign this and that.

Our copy of Wildwood Imperium (book three) was resting in Piper’s hands.

We approached the table all together and had our official moment of meeting.

Our book was signed and London tentatively braved herself for the question she had been planning to ask for several days. She held a piece of art featuring Colin Meloy on stage with Kevin Keigley. It was a lovely rendition by her ten year old self and she shyly offered it toward the couple behind the table.

“What’s this?” Colin asked.

After realizing it was our daughter’s art the pair smiled and laughed together. London Scout was sweetly grinning and watching their expressions. Carson gave her a high five and told London that she saw an artist in her and offered kind words.

And you know, I was keenly aware that what I loved most passed beyond the fun of meeting an artist and an illustrator whose works have become a part of the thread of our family’s life, and pushed right into the thrill of watching a talented artist recognizing our daughter’s artistic skill – lending legitimacy to what we’ve seen in London and watching our girl glow with the praise of an artist whose work she has admired.