Jill, Alyssa, David, and me (2007) I have a very good friend - I'm lucky that way - who I do a meal swap with each week. She brings me dinner on Monday and I give her dinner on Tuesdays. It works out beautifully for me since she is a far superior cook than I am.
Jill and I also share quite a number of book series where she owns the even numbered books and - you don't need to comment - I own the odd ones.
Most of my favorite Christmas ornaments have been made by Jill. Yes, she is definitely a do-it-yourself-er and even owns (and uses) a sewing maching. We are not similar in that regard, but I am a very thankful recipient of her creative and thoughtful gifts.
Our kids share life together at school and even walk home together every day where Jill and I are waiting at my house for them. David and Alyssa have been in class together 4 out of the last 5 years. Jill's kids call me Auntie Krista and Jill is Auntie Jill to mine. For a while, Andrew even thought Taylor and Alyssa were truly his cousins.
I'm not often reflective. I don't really like to sit and think. I much prefer to cross things off my to-do list which never happens to include "Reflection". However, as I sit here on a Monday night after eating a delicious, organic, prepared-by-Jill meal, I am wondering what I'm going to do on my first Monday night in Argentina. There is so much I could write about Jill, her family, and our friendship, but the one thing keeps returning to my thoughts is the need for intentionality. I'm not the best at being intentional. I continue to learn that this is an area I need to work on. I also realize I will struggle with loneliness in Argentina if I don't learn how to do this better (although I do realize that, regardless, I will struggle with loneliness).
Thankfully, my friends are patient with me. And typically send the first email or make the first phone call. For some reason, though, Jill and I have both been good at that with each other which is one reason why I think our friendship goes so deep. How grateful I am that God gave me this sweet friendship in my mid-twenties that has only gotten better and stronger through the years.
Okay, I'm tired of reflecting now (it's making me weepy)... I just know that I love Jill and her family!
Halloween 2008 Note that my boys are all wearing purchased Star Wars costumes, though some were hand-me-downs (Buddy was Yoda).
Also note that Alyssa & Taylor share their mother's creative genes and came up with their rock star & hocky star costumes on their own.
Family picnic (2008)
Alyssa & David (2005)
I LOVE this picture. I do also want to point out the difference in their gingerbread men....
Disclaimer: Rich and Chris have lots of pictures together from college through the present. Including amazing surfing shots from Central America. Chris is allowed to blog whenever he wants about his special friends.
Another Disclaimer: Rich is one of my very good friends too. I just don't have easily accessible pictures of him... he tends to be the one behind the camera.
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