Maggie and Eric came to visit us for the weekend. They came all the way from Wisconsin. They flew in, and then blew us all away with their sweetness, lightness, and loveliness. Maggie was a very favorite (and best) student of mine at Lehigh (both BA and MA). We’re still in close contact (both personally and professionally). Eric is her adorable and wonderful fiancé. They are both PhD students, writing their dissertations. They are getting married this summer. I’m officiating! We can’t wait for our big trip to Colorado for their wedding!!!
(Some other blog posts where Maggie is mentioned: Maggie gets into her PhD program!; I say “hi” to Maggie re: kid-centered-qualitative-methodology!; We see Maggie in Atlanta at a Sociology conference!)
Favorite memories of the weekend included:
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Friday night “grown-ups”-only dinner out (K, O, M at home with babysitter) with deep conversation about the joys and challenges of weddings, marriages, dual-career unions, and lives-worth-living.
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The quick-as-a-flash profound-life-lasting-bonding between Maggie-Eric-K-O-M on Saturday morning (within 10 minutes of meeting after waking, K & O were playing iPad soccer with Eric on the bed in the guest room, while Maggie painted Meera’s nails)!
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Maggie and Mommy bring Meera to ballet! (an experience in ethnographic observation for Maggie!!!)
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Eric, Papi, and the boys play football in the yard! (we know how to wear out our weekend guests!!!)
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Our dear Greg (another favorite past Lehigh student of mine) joining us for the bulk of Saturday!
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Tailgating! Eric could barely eat/drink because the boys monopolized him in the parking lot throwing the football. Maggie had Meera stealing the cream cheese off her bagel. Greg couldn’t go five minutes without Meera attacking him with cuddly snuggles. Still, lotsa laughs and lotsa fun.
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Lehigh vs. Holy Cross football (Lehigh won).
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Spy Kids with queso dip and salsa.
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A couple rounds of competitive Uno, vegetarian chili, and cornbread for dinner (sour cream on Maggie’s hand, LICKED off by Meera)!
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Late night male bonding: Eric and Braydon do “Nerds shots” with “KitKat chasers” (don’t even ask)!
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More football in the yard, bright and early, Sunday morning.
We had a good time. I am so proud of Maggie. And I could not have chosen a better guy for her. We had such a truly fabulous weekend together! I know, I know, I’m gushing… but really… Gosh, we love these two!
And Greg… gosh, we love him too! [Greg: WE LOVE YOU!]
P.S. “Dear Maggie and Eric: Thank you for coming to visit. We can’t wait for the wedding in Colorado. Thank you for the football. Thank you for the water bottle. Thank you for playing with us. Love, Kyle, Owen, and Meera.”
P.P.S. Dear Maggie & Eric: FYI—after you left, they continued to stay glued to the football (“a championship football!!!!”) and the water bottle, respectively. Just a small sign of their love for you. Thanks for coming to visit! We miss you! Love, Heather and Braydon
Hi Johnson-McCormicks!
Thank you for such a PERFECT weekend–and for such a nice blog post! These pictures are just amazing! We too LOVE you all, and we feel so fortunate to have had a WHOLE weekend with you! We miss you already and really wish we lived closer.
Thank you for everything. Thank you for the food, especially the vegetarian stuff (and of COURSE the pumpkin “cookies” and the queso–I think Hudson and Quinn loved that more than us, though! LOL!!). Thank you for the deep, serious conversations. Thank you for ballet and football. Thank you for being with me as I showed Eric my college for the first time ever. Thank you for the early morning entertainment. And most of all, thank you for the LAUGHTER!! I don’t know that we have laughed as hard or as many times in one weekend as we did this past one. We just loved every second of it. We can’t WAIT for the wedding, and we really just love your family so, so much! Thank you Heather, for making this all happen. You really are the best.
Lots and lots of love!
Maggie & Eric
Lovely photos, sounds like an amazing weekend!
– Kate
You’re kidding of course re ballet and ethnographic observation. I have been conducting qual research at the Ph.D. level for 30 years and teach qual research design and observing a ballet is not an ethnographic observation. However, I would be interested in your ethno research design for the study you appear to be conducting on ballet.
Oh dear Jackson, OF COURSE I’m kidding about “ethnographic observation”!!! Maggie and I are *not* conducting a study on ballet!!!! Seriously? We are much too busy with our actual work — Maggie is currently engaged in incredibly ambitious dissertation research; and if you’re seriously interested in what I do, you can find more info here: http://heatherbethjohnson.wordpress.com
You have left multiple comments on this blog recently that are tinged with more than a hint of negativity/criticism/insensitivity… Please… give me a break! If you don’t like what I have to say, then simply don’t read this blog. And, if you’re going to keep reading here, please play by the age-old rule: if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.