LB, Chapter 11

(To read Chapter 10, click HERE.)

"The human heart, at whatever age,

opens to the heart that opens in return."

~Maria Edgeworth

I got up SUPER early to run Devin and Tana to the airport (the least I could do, since they were letting me stay in their house for almost a week!), and crashed again for a few more hours before I needed to get ready to meet up with LB. Unfortunately circumstances meant I'd be running on just a few hours of sleep, but I knew my excitement and adrenaline would get me through the day.

LB picked me up at 10, as promised, and we headed down to have lunch with his friends at the camp they've all worked at (his two friends are the camp directors there). It was kind of a long drive down to the camp, but I didn't mind one little bit. About halfway through the trip he reached down and grabbed my hand, and I think we pretty much held hands every moment we were together from then until I had to head back to Portland on Sunday.

I have to admit, I was really excited to meet his friends, but also really nervous. I knew they are really important people in his life (they are both college friends, they've worked at camp together, and Dave and LB used to be roommates), so I wanted to make a good impression. They were fantastic! Both Sarah and Dave are super gracious, kind, fun people, and I really enjoyed hanging out with them. We had a great lunch, then LB and Dave took me on a tour of the camp.

It is a GORGEOUS place. It didn't take long for me to figure out why he loves it there so much. It was fun to walk around and see how he interacts with his best friend--they are hilarious together. Walking around and seeing the place he has talked about so much with me for the first time was awesome. I saw the ropes course where he had talked about leading weekend groups, and the waterfront, the dining hall...it was so awesome. And just like anywhere on the coast in the Pacific Northwest, it was green and beautiful--although he insists "it's beautiful...but you should see it in the summer!"

We headed back up to Dave and Sarah's house and started a game of Settlers of Catan...which I lost miserably! It was really fun just to hang out and talk and play the game together. At the end, I said, "It's okay, I don't mind losing. It was fun!" And Dave looked at LB and said, "She's perfect." :) Talk about a rousing vote of approval!

After a fun few hours, we got back in the car and headed up to Tacoma to have dinner with another couple of his friends, Matt and Allison. They had just gotten engaged a week or so before, so it was fun to get together and celebrate with them. (When I stepped away to use the bathroom, and they asked LB to be a groomsman in the wedding this summer!) We had a great conversation and I was glad to meet a few more of his friends.

When we got in the car, LB said, "So...what are you doing July 3oth?" I laughed and said, "Ummmm...I think I'm free." And he asked me to be his date to the wedding. Glad to know this man is thinking ahead!

To be continued...