BlogHer was fun.

Spending time with Sally, Celia and their kids was even more fun.

Seriously.

While I never felt that I found my place at BlogHer, I definately felt at home and a part of the home that rested on the top of a mountain in Marin.

For those of you who don’t know, I met Sally online several years ago.  At first it was a business acquaintance but over time, she became a friend.  She’s been through a lot with me including spending time on the phone with me and the BFF right after the dramatic end of my last serious relationship.  She’s also given me sound advice on men since then.  Which is comical for many reasons, but I love Sally to death.

And now, I have a place in my heart for the rest of her family.

After picking me up from the airport, Sally and I went to the BlogHer Newbie Mixer where I practically attacked Backpacking Dad.  It wasn’t for any other reason than I actually recognized him and I only started reading his blog after his fan-freakin-tastic chapter over at Chapter Bytes.  After we both admitted that we were the type of people that would gladly stand and talk to the same person all night so as to avoid actually TALKING to other people, we parted ways.  Sally and I went to grab a bite to eat and I had to see just how much Sally would appreciate my humor… and my camera.

She passed the test.  She even told me to stop apologizing after I would catch myself acting like a complete child while walking through San Francisco… that was followed closely by “Becki told me you’d be like this.”

And I was.

Then it was off to the People’s Party where we collected more SWAG and met MORE people… and then I got separated from her as I followed Redneck Mommy down the elevator.  Apparently Sally saw me get on the elevator but I didn’t see her… so she tracked me down and politely mentioned that it was 1am my time and that I should probably get some sleep.

Thank God she was my voice of reason that night.  Knowing me, the type of person who fears she will miss out on something if she is not the last person to leave OR goes to bed early, I would’ve stayed way too long and been tired for the rest of my trip.  (So I saved the late night out for when Sally wasn’t around… lol)

Then we were off to meet the fam and for me to see the house that Sally lives in.

Celia is more of a dork than I am.  I met my match.  And I wasn’t even in the house for longer than 5 minutes when I realized it.

She asked Sally if I was the same in person and when Sally said yes, Celia asked if I looked like the emoticons that we are always using when conversing via Skype, complete with her own rendition.

She proceeded to act out several more emoticons and just as I was starting to turn around and act our this one, she beat me to it.  I could not stop laughing.

It was then I realized that I needed to step it up a little alot if I were going to be able to compete for talk time and laughs around this house.

While I didn’t get to spend much time with them my first night, and I stayed in the city Friday night, the entire family, minus Alejando (the girlfriend was more important than the virtual friend visiting) came to pick me up.  And I laughed the whole way home.  We made fun of each other and I was proclaimed a dork.

The people in the 7-11 where we stopped to get ice cream stared at us and rightfully so.  We were a sight.  And I was in my element and my comfort zone.

Sally and I sat and played with our new Zivio’s (which we both LOVE) while Celia entertained.

And Celia was very sad that she didn’t have a new Zivio like we did….

Build a bridge, Celia…

Celia left us to balance her chi…. I don’t know what that exactly means.  (You know those California people are weird.)

And before long, my chi was being balanced…

(Note:  I have decided that I should lay down in all my pictures because I think I look so much thinner…)

And before you know it, we’re hanging out and Celia is playing a mini-guitar.  Sally told me what it was… it’s a cuatro from Venezuela… and it’s cute and Celia has an awesome voice.

It was hard for me to focus on that at first because I was laughing so hard… the song was a catchy little tune and it might have been about how a bedet is better than a BOB.  (This is a family friendly blog, so I’ll let you figure that one out….)

And then she pulled out the big guitar.  And again amazed me with her talent.  I shouldn’t be… the whole family has more talent in their little finger than I have in my whole body… see that art that hangs above the bed?  Yeah… their son did that.

AH-MAY-ZING… seriously.

And then we talked some more.  And laughed some more.  And talked. And laughed.

And then we HAD to go to bed because we needed to get up to head to the city for a day of being a tourist.

Which excited me (and my camera) to no end.

The girls joined us in the city and we had the best time.  It was a lot like hanging out with my youth girls at home.  I got to be silly and girly and let loose in a city that I knew no one.

So here are just a few pictures of our time in the city….

On the Ferry… they were cold and I was taking pictures… wusses…

Me and the Golden Gate Bridge… do you know how many pictures I have of the Golden Gate Bridge?  ALOT.  Of the 428 I have, 300 of them are probably of the Golden Gate.  Don’t ask me what my obsession is… I’m not sure.  But bless Sally for making sure that I was actually in some of these pictures.

Nicole and I… (and the bridge)

Sally and I… it was cold.  Did I mention that?  And windy.  I might have wished that I had a brush.

Sally on the street car.  She thinks I’m crazy but she secretly wants me to be her neighbor

Sally and the girls… waiting for the ferry…

Nicole, Me and Andrea being goofy.  They like me.  I love teenagers.

Sally and I and the Bay Bridge… I now like that bridge too… but not quite as much as the Golden Gate.

Are they not the most gorgeous girls?  I want to adopt them.

Now, some of you may be notcing that the family dynamics are, well, a little different from the norm.  Whatever the norm is.  Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Honestly? I see them as normal.  Their house is filled with laughter and love.  So much love and laughter.  Their home is warm and inviting.  They are open and loving.  I felt very welcome in their family and have already told the kids that I am their new Aunt.  I want them to come and visit me.  I want to go back and visit them.

Soon.

And as Sally was driving me to the airport, I felt the tears forming behind my eyes.  I knew that one phrase or one view of the city would release them and I told Sally how I felt.  I told Sally how welcome that her family made me feel; how a part of their lives that I felt.

I didn’t feel like I had just met her in person and while I have known her for 2+ years, I never expected to bond or click with her like I did.

As I watched Sally pull away from the United terminal after depositing me and all my SWAG, a tear escaped.  I knew it would.  I knew that it was a matter of time.

But in my core being, I felt as if I was leaving a weekend visit with family, knowing that it would be a long time before I was able to see them again.  I didn’t like that feeling.  But I was ever so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend with them, to fit in, to laugh, to be welcomed, and to feel like I belonged.

I can’t wait to be able to visit again.

Until next time…

Filed under BlogHer '08, Dorks R Us, Pics, Sans Kidlets, Thoughts... |