Friends

We had some good friends visiting last weekend from Seattle.  Friends whom we hadn't seen since their wedding five years ago, which is sort of a crazy amount of time, considering that during that time their family grew by two daughters and ours grew by one daughter, one son, and then now two more daughters.  Close friends we came to know when we were all living in Boston, and who have known our family since it was just me and Ben and a great deal of yearning for something more.  I think at that time the yearning was for a bunch of kids and a farm.  I think we can check the bunch of kids box, much sooner than we ever imagined, actually, and our farm dreams have subsided for the time being, so there you go.

Since those Boston years, Rachel and Sean have gotten married, pursued their calling on a different coast, and chased their own dreams, such as living on a tiny island in the Puget Sound.  Doesn't that sound so magical?  They are both ministers, and have such a thoughtful and authentic presence.  We spent time together talking about parenthood and marriage, and faith and our hopes and dreams for the future.  It is such a comfort and joy to be in the company of good friends, and they are not easy to come by.

I loved seeing our kids discover one another in play, and watching Rachel and Sean parent their daughters.  Isn't it incredible to see friends transition into such a unique and intimate role?  And when I rolled out of bed one morning to see all five kiddos sitting around a long table eating oatmeal with Sean, it made my heart so full.  For friendship and love and all of this abounding new life in our midst.

And thanks for the cow costume, guys.  Hugo has been wearing it since you left.

And as always whenever anything good is happening, I majorly forgot to take pictures, but we did take a meandering walk down to the creek with Rachel and Junia while Miriam napped and Sean made some dinner.  Ben wanted to take my picture to prove that I do sometimes leave the house.  Sometimes.