An Unexpected Friendship

One night a couple of weeks ago when KJ was in Haiti, I was running bathwater for the kids, trying to survive until bedtime, when Ella came running to the back of the house, saying someone was knocking at the door.  I don't think it was that late, only 7 p.m., but in the winter it's already pitch-black, and I was alone with the kids and not expecting anyone.  I was slightly nervous, and again really thankful for that random fellow who knocked on our door one day and offered to drill a peep-hole for us.  

It took my eyes a little while to adjust to the darkness, but then I saw one of our favorites:  Hillary!  Immediate joy erupted from my children, who I'm sure grow rather bored of me.

  She made my son so happy by saying, 

"Let's play LEGO Lord of the Rings."

I was so happy that she randomly dropped by; it was something that used to happen a lot when she lived in town, and it is something we will miss.  It made me feel very nostalgic about a season that has passed on, even though I am heart-deep happy for the new season she is entering in 4 days.

From the time we moved here 4 1/2 years ago, Hillary would drop in to hang out.  About 7 months after we moved here, we developed a routine where she would come over a couple of nights a week after class to watch Jack Bauer defeat terrorists and another hero named Jack unravel the mysteries of the island.  We saw her twice a week, but since it was late when the show was over, we didn't spend too much time talking afterwards, but sometimes doing "nothing" together sets the stage for a deep friendship to grow. 

I still remember the date, December 1, 2009, because it was James' 2-month birthday, when Hillary came over, and we decided to make chili. She said, "Hey, why don't we make dinner every week?"  And we did.  She started coming over earlier one night a week to hang out and cook dinner, and every single week we made a cookie cake.  That could not have been good for our waistlines.  But little by little, Hillary became a part of our family (even though, yes, she already was family...maybe I should say, a part of our daily family life.).  She changed James' diapers, colored with Ella, walked around Wal-Mart with the kids so I could concentrate on grocery shopping, and without me even realizing it, became such a gift to me during that season.

     Shared Birthday Parties...that we threw for ourselves

 XXL free t-shirts

Baby James

 Cookie Cake

 LOST Finale Party

 After moving to Nashville, she always came home bearing gifts.

 We went to DISNEY WORLD together!

I have the best husband in the world for making that happen.

 She didn't mind a little (or A LOT) of drool on her phone.

 Cookie Cake

I greatly benefited and enjoyed Hillary's help and friendship during 2010, and by early 2011, David Sikes was beginning to appreciate those wonderful qualities in her, too.  

We're so thankful to have been a part of their relationship and the work God is doing in them.  Since they met at our house and, and KJ gave David the push he needed to start their relationship, we take special ownership over these two. And we're going to miss them both like crazy.  But we're really happy for the two becoming one, and the leaving of father and mother, and leaving as Mr. and Mrs. that will be happening this weekend.