Last Tuesday, our college friend Gen came through town with her husband Dan and their two very cute daughters. They were coming back from a vacation in Pennsylvania, where Gen had run in the Hershey half-marathon. I had signed up for the race, but decided to not go because I estimated it would cost about $250 in gas, food, and hotel costs. Anyway, they were coming through NE Ohio, and we invited them to spend the night.

Gen called Tuesday afternoon to ask about urgent-care facilities. Their youngest daughter was having some respiratory problems that they wanted to check out, so Dan went to the urgent care place and we met Gen and her older (three years old) daughter at a local Italian restaurant. Gen and Dan are both doctors, so they figured the illness was not too serious, and it eventually turned out to be an ear infection.

Supper with Gen and her daughter was great. The food was good, and we got to catch up with Gen. Her daughter does not yet like boys, so she would not talk to me. She asked Gen, “Mommy, is Matt a boy?” When she was told that I was indeed a boy, she asked why. Gen answered that God made me a boy. Her daughter replied with, “Can we ask God to make him a girl?” It was pretty amusing. She was a fun little girl all evening.

After supper, we checked in with Dan via cell phone, and he was about to get to see the doctor. So, we headed off to the nearby Handel’s ice cream for dessert. Gen ended up sharing her ice cream with the comment that you no longer have “your” food when you have kids. Dan and the younger daughter showed up after about twenty minutes, and we all headed back to the house.

Dan ate his supper and chatted with Meredith while I got the bedrooms ready. Dan and Gen got the girls to bed, and we then visited for a short time before I decided I should get to sleep too (after all, it was a school night). It was great to see Gen and Dan and family; it was too short a visit.