Baltimore Visitors

Here on Bainbridge Island we have just wrapped up a fortnight full of wonderful visitors. Just yesterday my parents left after a week's visit, which included a trip to Victoria, B.C., but we'll save that visit for a post later this week (or next). Before them, we had some friends from Baltimore fly out to visit. In fact, our first visitors from Baltimore were Anne and Kent who came last January for a long weekend.

Anne and Emily worked together at Loyola in Balto, and we had fun catching up on the news from the school and the city. It also helped that the Ravens were still in the playoffs during their visit, so we could root for them against the Chiefs, and their visit also coincided with the Seahawks' improbable win against the New Orleans Saints. It was a memorable weekend, indeed.

More recently, our friends Brendan and Abby used a free Southwest flight to fly out here with their beautiful daughter, Mary. Brendan, Abby and I were all Jesuit Volunteers in the Bay Area -- they were in San Francisco, but I was keeping it real in Oakland -- and by good fortune we all wound up in Baltimore. Equally fortuitous was the news that Emily and Abby, besides both working at Loyola, had the same due date for Michael and Mary! The parallel pregnancies were a blessing for everyone: Abby and Emily compared notes, while Brendan and I compared our bewilderment. After they were born, we got to work planning their wedding twenty or so years from now.

With that backstory, you can imagine Michael's nervous anticipation as we prepared for their visit. Naturally, he wanted to shower up before their date, and like a gentleman, he gave Mary the tub, while he settled for the sink.

The date itself took place at Battle Point Park. From the beginning, Michael wanted to show that he was tough and rugged; he went straight for the dump truck placard.
Little did he know that Mary was actually an expert on the digger!
Next they made their way to the sandbox and the big rock that is painted like a frog.

And finally, back to the cottage for an elegant dinner for two. For the most part, it was a quiet dinner, but a couple of times they passed food back and forth to each other.
After dinner, the sweet little ones got into their sleepers and prepared for bed. Would there be a good night kiss?
Who knows? The next morning both babies stonewalled our questions!

All in all, it was a great long weekend with Brendan, Abby and Mary. We look forward to seeing you all in Balto sometime this summer!