Old Abe was right!!!!

"The better part of one's life consists of one's Friendships."

Abraham Lincoln

Sometimes God blesses your life in ways which there are no words, or explanations or reasons why things are so right in an area. I definitely feel this way about my college friends. I couldn't explain them to you if I tried, but there are times that I "play" my college days back in my head like an episode of "friends" and just enjoy the sweet sweet memory. Ryan & I met sophomore year of college so we definitely have friends who we met prior to each other but for the majority of college we all ran around in the same little herd together playing intramural football, basketball & softball with our "OGR" shirts on, doing bible studies together, meeting at the snack bar on way to many nights to admit to order ice cream and pretzels with cheese, shopped, went to football games, took trips, went from friends to roomates to family without ever even realizing it.... i was enjoying it at the time, don't get me wrong but I had no idea how truly blissful those days were. As adults we all have moved (like to Africa), and gotten married (in a lot of cases to each other) & added to that family with kids, so the time to even chat on the phone seems limited at best. Sometimes I seriously ache to be in Lincoln living in Alpha Phi or at the "girls house" and have someone call over the intercom that Ryan is there to pick me up or argue about having an answering machine and then finally making a message declaring it's all single girls in the house (which to this day I still think is more adorable than a safety hazard, but you know me)! I treat those memories like precious breakables...and "bubble wrap" each one until I am having a down day or need a smile and then think about the "nun house" or crazy A Phi events with matching shirts, or watching Ry MC Crusade, or getting gas station coffee with Case & know that the memories couldn't be any better if I had scripted them out.

I would like to thank the town of Lincoln, the college of UNL, the state of Nebraska, the sorority house Alpha Phi, Campus Crusade & Navigators, the dorm Sandoz, the Crew Team at Nebraska and of coarse God for orchestrating my path with all these amazing people. Sometimes you look back at something and know that there is a God and he is working and these people and their role in my life is one of the reasons I KNOW.

Last week a few of them came to stay....such a treat! We sat around reminiscing and eating and talking baby and marriage and life and it was good. Friends, you are like a breath of fresh air in my life and I am SO SO thankful for you.

The next generation playing together....Bean & Libby!

They had so much fun together! (side note:we had so much fun seeing Libby's outfits and accessories every day! ADORABLE!)

Griffin playing with a toy all the way from Africa

2 of the best things that ever happened to me, Case & Beanie:)

They are mostly far far away, but we can pick up where we left off at...isn't that the best?? I have such an appreciation for real friends who know you and love you and grow with you. And the best part of my life seems to be wrapped up in a lot of them!