bee-fense!

Ronnie and I spent the weekend in New Orleans with our friends Brad and Amy.  This was the first time ever that Ronnie and I have gone on a totally fun trip with another couple and NO KIDS!  We have been looking forward to this for weeks and I must tell you that the trip did not disappoint.  I can also tell you that it didn't go exactly as planned ... but really, who cares? 

We took this trip to see the New Orleans Hornets play the Utah Jazz on Friday night.  Ronnie got the tickets through his work and our seats were in the Hub Club.  Just for the record, this is a little more swanky than we are used to ... but we quickly decided that we could get used to it.  Frankly, I would just as soon shoot basketball in the yard with the kids as watch someone else play basketball, but between the VIP tickets and the excellent company, I thoroughly enjoyed the game.  New Orleans lost, but it wasn't a blow-out (though it looked like it might be) and our guys were totally happy because they had a full buffet with a variety of choices, like some sort of pasta with shrimp and wild mushrooms, not to mention the rather decadent desserts.  Definitely not your typical ball game fare.  And, at the risk of sounding like a country bumpkin, it was all free!

As for me, there were some truly memorable moments during the game ...like the guy who proposed to his girlfriend during a game time-out on buzz-vision, and the kids on the double-dutch jump rope team, who were absolutely amazing.  I did watch (and enjoy) the actual game as well.  We got a real kick out of all the bee references in the arena.  I can't remember them all, but the funniest to me was the announcer saying BEE-FENSE every time the Jazz got the ball.  And, while the word was flashing on buzz-vision over head, there were a couple of guys skipping in front of the stands raising bee-fense signs.  All in all, it was a pretty good show. 

I was the only person on this trip who has never lived in the New Orleans area.  Ronnie went to seminary there back before we met.  Brad and Amy lived just across the Causeway bridge in Mandeville before they moved here.  This made the trip a little nostalgic for all of them.  On Friday, Ronnie gave us a quick tour of his old stomping grounds as we drove through the seminary.  Then, on Saturday, after doing some shopping in Kenner, we drove the 26 (I think) mile bridge so that Brad and Amy could show us some of the places that were important to them.  I must say that if I lived down there, Lakeshore Park would be somewhere I would want to hang out.  We also saw where they lived and worked before heading on to Bogalusa where Ronnie lived and worked for a year while he was in seminary.  It was really fun to glimpse back in time to how things were before I met any of the other three people in the van with me.  I love anything with some history to it, so I enjoyed getting to know a little more of the past lives of my friends.

All in all, this was a wonderful weekend.  Getting away from the ordinary is always good, I think.  I don't want anyone to think that I don't love my children, but it was also nice to get away for a little while and not even  have to worry about the kids at all.

I had a great time driving around and seeing a little bit of New Orleans on Friday afternoon - even if this was the time when things weren't going as planned.

Going to the game and getting the VIP treatment was very nice and definitely something I could get used to.

Shopping and reminiscing on Saturday was a great way to round out the trip before heading home. 

But, without a doubt, the best part of the weekend was the company.  Ronnie and I could have taken this trip by ourselves and we probably would have had fun, but we would have missed out on a blessing, to be sure. I am not sure that I have ever laughed that much in any two-day period, ever.  We also spent some time talking about more serious subjects, as well.  I know that I will be pondering that conversation for some time to come.

So, since I am fairly certain you will read this, this is my formal thank you for making this a memorable weekend ... and for being our friends!

For the rest of you, just in case you are curious ... the girl on the buzz-vision ... she said yes!