Sweet thang.

I pulled my minivan alongside the barn this morning and stepped out.  As I quieted after telling the kids I'd be right back, I heard, 'oh wow, look now.  here comes this sweet young thang...' and I broke out in a laugh as I knocked on the door, smiling from ear to ear, and made my way inside.

The Craven brothers, somewhere in their eighties, sat at the little old table to my right as I walked in... they looked as though they were waiting for the punch line of a joke as I - a young, blonde, sun-kissed woman, walked into their midst.  I can see it now...

SNOHOMISH TIMES

31 YEAR OLD STRIPPER SENDS SNOHOMISH LEGENDS TO HOSPITAL

Krista Schei pulled up in her minivan yesterday morning with three children in an alleged attempt to mask her actual identity.  Sent by lifelong friends of the Snohomish Legends, Craven brothers and friend, Schei gave them quite the show.  The attempt to be comical actually ended the three men in Everett's Providence Hospital downtown and their status is yet to be disclosed.

It was flattering, oh-so-flattering, that these men took a deep breath and made me feel like an angel had just appeared.  Directly in front of me was 'Stub', speechless.  I tried to normalize the moment with a sweet smile (shit, it happened again - poor guys) and a quick introduction of myself and why I had miraculously appeared.

The Cravens sat and nodded - one more serious and quizzical and the other all smiles and rather boisterous.  'Stub' responded with a wave of his hand and a lock on my gaze, 'you just do your thang, sweetheart'... and they all broke the conversation with a laugh.  I asked permission to bring my three children inside the barn and they were quick to give me the details of how to let myself in and 'do my thang'.

After a few more minutes of quick-witted banter (excluding myself, of course) and nods from the fantastically aged men, I walked out the door and herded the children from the car to the old barn door just adjacent to kitchen.

After about 15 minutes of poking around inside the old barn (2 minutes), taking photos (5 minutes), watching the two white owls with their hypnotic stare (8 minutes), we walked outside and I captured the above shots after sliding the door closed.

We walked back past the kitchen and the children pleaded to be introduced the men sipping their morning's coffee by the old window. I giggled and grinned as I knew that this just might beat the morning's prior introduction and I was right...

Though I might now pride myself in stopping old men in their sips, I carry much more joy this afternoon as I remember those moments with Katie, William and Ben as they smiled and talked, showed off and listened intently (almost as though they could physically see Wisdom prancing around). It fulfilled me in a way that can only be fulfilled when you sit in a room with the generation above the generation above yourself and just wait. Set aside all ego, set aside all your words; open your ears and your eyes and wait.

It was a joy and I hope that this relationship will be one that I get to grow in -- and maybe one day, just one day, I'll get to sip coffee with them by the old window.