West Coast Best Coast

If we are Instagram friends, you know that I spent most of last week in California. It was the most amazing few days that I want to recap immediately so I don't forget anything! The company I work for is headquartered just outside of San Diego, and when I got the call that they wanted me to fly out there for a presentation, I was ecstatic! We have so many wonderful friends on the west coast that I have been dying to be reunited with, so knowing I was going to get that chance was like Christmas in September!

I'll let most of the pictures do the talking, but my favorite parts of the weekend were just seeing faces and hugging necks that I haven't gotten to in a long time. I stayed with one of my best friends, Emily, and finally got to meet her sweet baby. I'd been waiting for baby Sam snuggles for 8 months!

I am so glad I got to meet him while he is still a baby! He has the cutest personality and seeing Emily as a mama was so fun. Emily was one of my very first Navy friends and is still one of my favorite people. We hadn't seen each other since February 2013, so to say this reunion was overdue was an understatement. The same goes for my friend Maggie, who is also one of my first and best Navy friends. The Navy has some vendetta against us and has made sure we stay on opposite coasts, so that's cool. Basically I wanted to hug them and never let go!

I also got to see Tiffany and Darla while I was there! If you are new to this blog, we watched Darla for a year while Tiffany was on deployment, and giving her back was so tough! We miss having Darla around but know she and Tiffany are so happy to be reunited. It meant the world that Tiffany drove down to see me while I was in San Diego! Darla was adorable when she saw me and it completely melted me heart. She ran over to me, cried, and peed everywhere. There is a reason we decided to do the reunion outside. ;) I even Facetimed Parker so he could see the little beauty that used to live with us. Her pupper presence is definitely missed in the VA!

Tiffany is such a wonderful person and the best pupper mama to Darla. I am so thankful that we got to be a part of their story and grateful that Tiffany made the long drive so I could see them. I am crossing my fingers and toes that we will be neighbors again in the near future, so come on Navy!

Saturday afternoon, Emily, Maggie, and I made a Target run (because why not?) before heading over to another friend's house to watch the Aggies take on Arkansas. I am pleased to announce that Target is just as wonderful on the west coast as it is in the east. Actually, it might be better. I had to take a picture because I'd never seen such a spacious set-up before! Target, you win. Always. I want to buy all the things!

Watching the Aggie game with friends was fantastic and, despite going into overtime, we pulled out the win! I hung out with the loudest and proudest member of the class of 2037, and don't let his face fool you. We are straight besties. Alright, we're friends as long as he can see Emily at all times. I'll take it.

The boys decided we girls were bad luck charms towards the end of the game, so we got banished outside until it was over. You can't make this stuff up. Rude, but we won, so it's whatever. Thanks to Maggie and her husband, Chris, for letting me third wheel it all weekend! These two made quite the drive down to San Diego and I am so grateful. Good eggs, these two!

Sunday morning we headed to a trendy little brunch place called Snooze before saying our goodbyes. I already miss these two ladies (plus Sam, obviously) but am counting down the days until I get to see them again!

Sunday afternoon I was reunited with one of my other best friends, Alexa! We were friends in Virginia before the Navy stole her away to California recently. It was wonderful to explore San Diego and spend the day with her! It was a beautiful afternoon (it's San Diego, so every afternoon is beautiful), and it was nice to just sit and have some good old fashioned girl talk. I miss having her in Virginia so much!

The rest of the week I actually had to work, but I ended up really enjoying that aspect of the trip as well. I love the company I work for and have been really blessed to be a part of a great team of people. It's fun to dust off the old suit every once in a while and meet with the people I spend so much time talking to on the phone. I am hoping there will be more work trips to California in my future!

If you know me, you know I wanted to be living in San Diego right now. I didn't expect to still be in Virginia but have actually grown to love it here. I would have loved to live in San Diego and get to do life with these wonderful people (and a few others that I didn't get to see on this trip!), but God had a different plan. The Navy really is pretty cool. Sure it tears you away from people you love, but it also brings people into your life that you would have never met otherwise. It's neat having friends all over the country, and my week in California was nothing short of wonderful!