Once in a while life hands out little surprises that are so beautiful, so unexpected, they leave you glowing for days. I was given one this weekend.
Many months ago Canadian Breanne Mosher commented on one of my blog posts. I popped over to her blog http://thevintagebox.blogspot.com/and soon we forged an online friendship through our blogs and Facebook that grew to include her splendid hubby, Jared.
I liked them instantly as we connected over delicious food, great music, good books, and all sorts of adventures in travel.
When Jared contacted me last week saying he and Breanne would be in Vancouver, Canada for business, I was delighted to be his partner in crime in surprising Breanne with an evening of exploring, eating and talking in downtown Vancouver.
I was excited all week until Sunday arrived and little niggling fears crept in: what if they don’t like me? What if I don’t like them? What if our online friendship doesn’t pan out in real life?
I needn’t have worried. 🙂 Jared and Breanne were not only just as fabulous as they were online, they were better.
After hugs and smiling so big our cheeks ached, we secured scarves round our necks and headed out to explore Vancouver, talking a mile a minute as we walked.
We talked about their adventures working in orchards in New Zealand and mine as a nanny in Portugal.
We rattled on about foreign food and the scary things we’d made ourselves eat, and laughed about the marvelously quirky people we’ve met on our travels.
We’d be in an animated discussion of favorite authors when one or the other would stop mid-sentence and point out a gorgeous old building that we then would have to ooh and aah over.
I loved it. 🙂
Our rambles ended at Chambar, a splendid restaurant on Beatty Street that is so warm and cozy you want to sink down onto a leather banquette and stay for hours. So we did. Lingering long over Trapiste Beer and French wine, plate after plate of exquisitely prepared and presented food, talking about anything and everything that came into our heads.
At last it was time to head home. We moseyed through the lamplit streets, hugged good-bye, and went to our beds with memories of a beautiful evening spent with true kindred spirits.
It’s all beautiful: your friendship, how it started, the suprise of meeting each other after so long…. This is life and love!! xxx
Trappist beer is the best! Looks like you had such a fun time 🙂
Isn’t it great to finally meet people in person who you have been talking to online?! I am usually pleasantly surprised that everybody is as welcoming in person as they are online! Glad you had a good time!
You are SO right, Maddie! 🙂 Life and love are such treasures. 🙂
Mmm, I agree, Brenna! 🙂 I’m craving it now just thinking about it. 🙂
It sure is, Christy! I just loved it. 🙂 Such a delightful thing to find kindred spirits in this big ol’ world of ours. 🙂
I looooove meeting people from my blog in real life. I haven’t had one bad experience yet! What a cool place you guys met up at.
Krista, I’m so glad it worked out for you, Jared and Breanne to get together for a visit and have such a splendid time together! Breanne’s parents and a bunch of her siblings go to our church fellowship. Neat people indeed! Hugs!
A lovely post Krista.
Oh Krista, this made me all happy all over again! It was indeed such a splendid evening, I couldn’t have scripted it better myself.
And may I just say that you are as fabulous in real life as I hoped you would be. 😉
Lovely, lovely memories…
How fun to meet friends you know but have never seen! And such a lovely city! Krista, you have a way of making life sound so sweet!
Such fun to finally meet you ronline friends. Vancouver is the perfect place to explore. My daughter lives there and I have yet to explore every avenue.
What a great story you’ve shared! I felt your nervousness about meeting, and at the same time I was thinking: What? Not like Ms. K? How is that POSSIBLE?! Nah!! So happy that your meeting was all that it was meant to be … and I’m only a tiny bit envious. xx
What a lovely post about a virtual friendship that has now become a real life one.