Visitors!!

This week we were blessed by a visit from some of our dearest far-away friends.  My sweet friend K. and her six children came to our house for a few days to attend a special home school event with us. It was one gigantic, three day slumber party! So many sweet times together....big girls (and my husband) loving the baby, best friends together again in princess dresses ( in the tree house!),  five giggling little girls lined on the floor in sleeping bags (two of them in matching smocked dresses..princess nightgowns, you know!), three little boys sound asleep down in Thunderbolts' room( worn out from playing), two mamas staying up late talking about everything under the sun, a back yard so full of kids that Mr. T. said it looked like an amusement park, the BBQ pork roast that just kept on feeding everyone!

  The time apart had made no difference, age differences were no concern...true friends, more like sisters and brothers, all of us...what a gift from God!  When K. and I met over ten years ago I could not have imagined all we would go through together.  We may hold the record for the phrase, " Guess what! I think I need my maternity clothes back!" And I couldn't have asked for a better friend during our difficult times surrounding Thunderbolt's pregnancy and early arrival. She was my children's second mom, watching them for every doctor appointment, even when we had to go every other day at the end. She kept most of them during his sudden arrival ( the first person I called with the news), comforting those old enough to understand the gravity of the situation ( one child sobbing in her hallway), praying for my tiny babe ( even when I didn't have the strength to give her many details), and spending the next months helping when needed ( the only person I dared ask to bring us toilet paper when we were out!).

 I find it so interesting that as we have journeyed together in motherhood that the Lord always seems to be leading us in the same direction and teaching us similar things. What times of rich conversation and encouragement we have, spurring one another on to good deeds and godliness. What a joy to see our children sharing the same love for one another, and hear our husbands speak of how they miss one another's company.
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As K.'s little boy said while playing in the yard, "This is the best day ever!!"  Yes, just how I felt...some of the best days ever...enjoying being together again!  Thank you, Lord, for the blessing and encouragement of godly friends!