Special Gifts

I continually thank God for all the dear friends he has blessed me with in every season of life! Really, I'm almost speechless. There simply is nothing better to me than to be able to sit with someone and not say a word and feel completely comfortable...even warm and fuzzy. So I thought I would just post some recent pictures of me and a few of the sweet people in my life. (There are many more!)

This first one is my Aunt Cle. She lives near Tampa, Florida so we only get to see each other once or twice a year...though I'd sure love to go to her more often, she usually comes here with my Uncle Ed on their way to/from friends and family in North Central Kansas and Denver. She speaks into my life with wisdom in so many ways and I love her to pieces!


Kathy here is more than just my friend...she is also one of my home school partners and fellow slave as she helps me clean my house during our weekly (well, when we don't make a good excuse) cleaning exchange! I mean really, if someone has cleaned the dirt off your kitchen floor or wiped the toothpaste crud in your sink they pretty much have to either love you or be paid good money! We have many adventures together and our kiddos are great friends too!


My dear Maria just turned 40! Gasp! Of course, you'd never know it to look at the beautiful girl. For sure I have loved watching her grow in grace and wisdom over the last almost 9 years of our friendship. She's the one I call when I'm sobbing about whatever and need someone to list to my woes and help me pull up my bootstraps!


Oh yes, and Maria is always prim and proper (ha):


This is Peaceful, and no, I didn't choose her as a friend just because of her awesome hippy name! We met, oh, probably our first week or two in college. We lived on the same floor of our dorm. As it turns out, she went to high school with my husband and was one of his favorite girl friends (not in the romantic sense) growing up! She is now a home educator herself to her 4 beautiful girls and lives about an hour away out in the country. We don't see each other often enough, but can pick up a conversation in an instant...and we're thankful for our Facebook inboxes!

There is one lady in my life that I've known a little bit longer than all the others...my sister Jodi! I can't say enough about how she has blessed my entire life! Even this morning when she called with my 6:15 wake up call...she let me know that it was 20 degrees outside my window but on its way up to 43. Why, thank you very much, that was so helpful in getting me out of my warm and cozy bed :) . (I did get up, btw). We usually talk everyday and help each grow through the ups and downs of life. We are going to try and travel back and forth to our homes every 4-6 weeks this year. With 6 kiddos between us it's a little crazy, but two mommas makes it even more fun!


And, last but not least, the best friend that I chose to live my daily life with, side by side. This is my Eric. There is a peaceful joy that comes with the deep love and commitment of marriage. We're almost to the 15 year mark...and some days it seems we're still just two kids in love! Yay!