Janice, my BBF

Among spending wonderful days with my lovely and young motherly sister, I got to see my childhood friend Becky and other ministers wives on my recent trip to Florida. 

And while that was incredibly special, there was another visit that was even more special. 

This bag came into my life...

The E is for Elle. 

And she is all about the charm.....

I took a lot of pictures and every time I'd tilt the camera or my body she'd turn with me.

Elle is short for Elisabeth. 

While it's not spelled the same as my middle name, I am choosing to believe her mother named her after me.

She looks so much like her mom- petite and smiley. 

I can't help but feel this incredible connection with her though I've never held her in my arms till last Thursday. She's like my niece. She's as bonded as my own precious Judah.

And my kids wasted no time getting to know her and baby her and pull her around...

Cady was quite motherly on this trip. She took to wanting Judah quickly. I think it's the age- that 8 year thing. Silas was 8 when Charis was born and she only 6, Silas took to it more back then.

And she really liked Elle.



Elle didn't come alone, she has a handsome older brother...Aiden. Who is a star wars and lego fan and hit it off with Silas immediately.

He was just getting over fear of the water and getting into boogie boarding...he will be 5 in Sept.

I love this shot...

It says so much about the daunting ocean. A young boy with a decision to make.

Silas has always wanted a brother. Cousin Paul is the closet thing we have. 

Fyi we were at beautiful St. Augustine, Florida.

Janice lives near Savannah, GA right now while her husband is serving in the army in Afghanistan.

His deployment has been really hard on them all. Pray for them. (like right now, I'm serious)

They sacrifice for our freedom. So we can live the lives we live. 

I can't tell you how awesome it was to sit with Jan on the beach with our 5 children. 

We have SO many memories at the beach. 

 Summer vacations, day trips, driving ourselves finally when I came back to visit, mission trips- 

meeting boys, parties with my brothers, walking on the pier, her grandfather, sun burns and fish in bathing suits

The last time we saw each other was at Myrtle Beach, SC.

The weekend I got married we were gonna go skinny dipping at the beach...except I got married 7 hours away from the beach so we went to clear creek lake. ha! We chickened out. Becky was there for that too.

The movie Beaches came out the year we met and we went to the movies to see it. Becky (who is all over this blog and whom you should know by now) was there, along with her sister and I think my sister. 

The parallels to our friendship and lives are crazy in that movie. I LOVED the music. We are watching it Sunday night together on WE channel. I will cry. Janice has always been family, we were that close-

8 years has gone by since we were together. There was peace in the reunion. Not really there were 5 kids involved - but it just felt right having her around again. 

Ok we shall proceed after I dry my eyes.

Need a laugh?

After the beach it was so nice to wash off in the pool, however that sand followed us all the way to Velma somehow.

Elle and Aiden were so much fun.

I wonder where they get it from ?

On the first day of fifth grade, Ms. Jones class at Vena Wilburn Elementary in Raleigh, NC ( or a galaxy far, far away...which ever you prefer) I walked in , saw a name on a desk close to mine and decided I was going to befriend that girl. We were inseparable for the next 5 1/2 years. 

Destiny took me away, we grew up, we began navigating the paths ahead of us. 

One step at a time. Neither life perfect. 

Janice, you are the best mom. 

I'll love ya to the day I die.

Cause you were the wind beneath my wings. :)