I can’t remember the first time I commented on her blog or she commented on mine…..4 years ago? More?  I loved her blog from the beginning.  Her girls were very close to Keilee’s age and her ideas were so amazing.  It went from commenting on posts to emails very quickly.  Then phone calls.  Then there was rarely a week go by that we didn’t talk on the phone and text back and forth.  Her entire family has been so wonderful to Keilee and I and as real of friends to us as if they lived next door.

Keilee and Grace were in their first online class together the day the tornadoes of 2011 hit.  Ironically enough it was a class about weather.

Jessica got me through my Art Journal class by telling me calmly that I could do it and sending me amazing resources.  She got me through being laid off by listening to my fears and tears.   Keilee wrote and emailed and texted and FaceTimed her girls so often.  They knew and loved each others pets and they saw Augustus on the webcam and Keilee sat with me and I hugged her when their beloved Jake had to be put down. 

She sat in on Jessica’s Writing Class and learned so much.  Jess has always been SO supportive of Keilee’s writing and everything she does. 

We talked about meeting so many times.  We were actually within 50 miles of each other 2 years ago but it just didn’t work out.  This time it did.

Greg, Jessica, Grace and Lilah visited us this pass week.  To say we had fun would be such an understatement.  When they pulled into our driveway Sunday night and got out it was like we had known each other forever.  When I hugged her and her girls I was hugging dear, dear friends that just hadn’t been in the same place as me before.  We had so much fun.

We spent the first night eating and sitting outside while the girls turned cartwheels and handstands and flips. 

The next morning we headed to Pt. Mallard on what would be the hottest day of the year so far.  The girls swam and jumped the waves and rode the slides and tubes in the lazy river and more.  Jess, Greg and I sat and talked and Greg even took a little nap.  They all did great in this Alabama hot sun that they were VERY unused to.

That night we went to Big Bob Gibson’s to eat and they even tried the Brunswick Stew.  Then off to our local Concert in the Park.  I think this was my favorite time.  Everyone on a blanket sitting in the park with the Tennessee River in the background.  And the girls playing on the rail road tracks and turning cartwheels and trying to do all sorts of stunts and laughing their heads off.

I love these pictures!

And I hope you can see the joy on the girls faces in these.

We came back over here and ate Lemon Cake that Keilee had made and planned to go to The Space and Rocket Center the next morning before they left.

We love The Space and Rocket Center and really take for granted the fact that it is so close to us.  We walked through the exhibits and the girls climbed rock walls,  played games, rode moon buggy simulators, rode the Space Shot and more.

One final picture and it was time for them to be on their way to their next adventure.

Keilee and I drove home and talked and talked about how much we loved meeting them all.  How natural it felt to spend time with them.  How much we wished we lived closer.  It was like a vacation for us too and we enjoyed every minute of it.

Plans were made for more visits and I just know we will see them again.  Thank you Greg, Jess, Grace and Lilah for taking the time to spend time with us.  You do not know how much it meant to us.  Connecticut to Alabama just doesn’t seem as far as it did.

That’s what this virtual world is all about isn’t it?  Homeschooling can be lonely and this blogging world can bring us all closer together.  I am SO thankful that it brought Jessica and her amazing family into our lives.

Homeschool Rocks and so does meeting faraway friends!
Karen