I could have stayed at this house with [insert name of some very annoying person] and still been perfectly happy.
Thankfully, I got to spend 4 days there with 2 friends who have officially (and successfully) crossed over from that yet-to-be-named world of online friends to real friends.
Sort of an interesting adventure really, knowing that these two girls I have come to cherish from afar would be with me living closely for a while. I hoped it would help not hurt the friendships, you know?
And, you know what was neat?
They are pretty much exactly who I thought they’d be in “real life.”
Ashley – hospitable and generous, bubbly and fun, entertaining and outgoing, stinkin’ gorgeous, strong and driven, a gifted pursuer of people, passionate about her family–extended and immediate–and even more passionate about Jesus. That’s her.
Stephanie – comfortable and easy to talk to, gentle, honest and real, gracious and graceful, an encourager, always willing to actively listen but also willing to share vulnerably, a faithful friend and quite obviously faithful to her Maker. That’s her.
Just how they are, just how I knew them to be.
And, I get the privilege of not just being online friends, connected by our journeys to our daughters and now by my work with The Sparrow Fund with Ashley and WAGI with Stephanie. I get the privilege of being real friends too.
I even found myself buying roasted red pepper hummus and pita chips at the store today for lunch and using the words fixin’ and ya’all more than once. But, I draw the line at all ya’all. Friendship does have its limits.
I had fun with all y’all, too. :P Missing you girls and the lush living accomodations. Not missing the cockroach. I’m just sayin’. Crossing over to “real” is a pretty cool thing. A pretty cool God-thing for which I’m thanking Him bigtime.
THAT place rocks!! So, so jealous! But happy for you!
Love this!
Oh! I am not missing that cockroach either!!
Sure did enjoy our weekend and I am so very very thankful of how the Lord brought us all together. In fact I am humbled. You ladies are super.