Finding missy

Multanoma Falls

DO you ever have times in your life you need to remember who you are and that you are loved? Well I had one of those times this summer. So my best friend Teresa from when I was six heard it my voice and said come up. Davi was working for two weeks straight so I thought why not! I packed up the kids the dog the bike and bike trailer and off we went to Washington/ Oregon. To place that feels like home- I ran to her and her family so many time in my childhood when I just needed to be loved they were always there for me when my own family could not be. They always gave me the love and support I needed, and still do. Teresa moved up there when we were thirteen. We've stayed close. I use to go up to visit her every summer, Her family always welcomed me with open arms and an open house- Nothing has changed! While I was there her cute little family came down with the stomach flu so her sister let me stay at her house instead. You can't find a nicer family anywhere! Teresa took the day off work so we could go to the beach together- sadly that was the day of the stomach flu! I thought I'd take a bunch of fun pictures at the beach so I didn't take any of her cute kids before that and we decided to leave after that, it will always be one of my greatest regrets! But our other friend Charity and I want to go up next summer! So Teres take that as fair warning!

Oddly enough my other childhood best friend Necia's older sister lives up there too! So I was able to see her too and her daughter was kind enough to go to the beach with me- a real life saver with two little ones! It was so fun hanging out with her she reminds me so much of Necia at that age. Just absolutely charming with such a zest for life and an amazing sense of self- I have no idea how those Ching's do it, but the girls in that family have so much self esteem! I'm trying to emanate the lessons Mama Ching taught me to my own daughter in hopes that she can end up with that! That is what I admire most about that family. As I struggled to find out who I was the Ching's always knew who they were without pretenses or apologies!

What I love most about both of these families are the lessons they taught and the unconditional love they always gave and still do to a little girl who alway just wanted a Mom and found so many willing to be just that! So THANK YOU to all of you who call me Missy! You loved me, raised me, and I can never thank you enough!

Buried in sand

First splash of the Pacific Northwest Ocean

Super Cute A With Charlie