A few of my favorite faces...

My BFF drove HOURS to be with me and mine. She and her family pour into mine so sweetly. We are blessed to know them all. Time with BFF's is ALWAYS too short, isn't it?

I admit it. I'm a 40 year old Daddy's girl. My dad only got a few days off while we were there. This is the picture just before he left to go to the airport. I was going with him to see him off, but the sadness was too much and he told me not to go. So we took one last snapshot. There is something amazingly wonderful in being loved so completely by your parents. Dad, you are a treasure.

When we moved away, I was just getting to know this little sweetheart. She's an addition to our family by marriage. I spent several days trying to get a good picture of her. She would not fully cooperate. My blessing was that she spent most of her time wrapped around my waist, hugging me. I don't know what caused the bond to grow between us, but I love it. She is like all kids and can be a pill, but she needs to know she's loved and cherished. A great thing about being an Aunt is that I can do that. Love on them. Even if I'm on the other side of the world. Love you, M.

These girls have hearts as big as the world. They both are servants, givers, loving. With my large family there is always chaos. No matter how hard we try, we cannot move in a straight line...it's more like a giant amoeba! These two (among others) were so flexible and loving. Whatever they could do to make everyone or anyone happy...they did it. Completely selfless and fun.

The Moms in my life. Mine and my husbands. Where would we be without them? This life we're living would be so much more difficult without the ways they help us. I often think about how hard it must be to work so hard to rear your children to be independent, loving, Godly, etc...and then to actually have to step back and let them be those things. At some point, parents step into a "friend" shoe to their kids. They will always be parents, always willing to help, but at some point they have to learn to wait until they are asked for the advice that used to come forth so readily. How do you learn that, I wonder as my oldest is on the brink of adulthood? My thoughts...one step at a time. It must be a journey like all else. Otherwise, we might feel like our children are ripped from our bosoms. Or...it could be that the difficult teenage years prepare us to let go and say (tongue in cheek), "See ya. You have it all figured out! Go for it!" LOL. No matter which way, it can't be easy.

I'm undyingly grateful to these two women. So much so that mere words cannot express it. It's a good thing that God sees my heart. When my words fail to express the depth of thanks and honor that I want to give him for his creation and gifts to me...He knows my heart.