"Friends are friends forever.' Michael W. Smith got that right.

Warm sun shining, a summer breeze blowing, corn hole, babies, and friendships I've kept for 20 years this month exactly.  I'm always blown away by the fact that there are things I remember doing 20 years ago.

Twenty years ago my family went to a church in view of a call, and before a meet-and-greet reception, we were taken out to eat at Bob's Barbecue.  I assume we were eating with members of the church committee?  They brought along a girl close to my age who I was a little determined not to like because we were moving, and meeting people I feel like I'm expected to be immediate friends with is not my favorite thing.  Kristen Cothran remembers that I lost a tooth at supper that night.

 Photo Booth

Maybe 14, 15, and 16?

There are a lot of young pictures of us somewhere to be located.  They've been shifted around a bit through the years for use in wedding slideshows.  I remember meeting Kristen Dumas at the reception that night.  I remember meeting her youngest sister more, though, with her long, brown, spiral curls, "I'm Ka-e Dumas." she said.  My earliest memory of being friends with Kristen Dumas is of sitting in the middle, back-left section of the sanctuary reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books during church.  We were probably 10 and 11.

Summer Mission Trip

1999

The bonds of friendship survived moving away from home and attending different colleges.  There were always summer days by the pool to reconnect us.  Kristen Dumas and I even worked at Wal-Mart together one summer.  She had to wear a fake engagement ring to keep from being hit on in the checkout line.

They made the 5-hour drive to help my college roommate give me a lingerie shower.  Kristen D. reminded me this weekend that the first thing I told her about KJ was that he had blue eyes.  Blue eyes are a weakness of mine.

There was my wedding day...

and four years later Kristen Cothran became Kristen Bond, and Kristen Dumas came home after two years in China with a beau of her own.

One year later, Kristen Dumas became Kristen Sosebee, and a 2 1/2 year-old Ella had the privilege of being her flower girl.

 I spy James.

 

Four years after this picture we look like this:

My big baby bump is a big "baby" boy; the flower girl is so tall; Kristen Bond has Elijah and expects Elise in about a month's time; sweet Mary Jane is here; Kristen Sosebee and I live a few states apart, while the Bonds are serving on the other side of the world in India.  I thank God for e-mail, blogging, and texting.

And in all the late nights of talking and giggling and dreaming we couldn't have known how gracious and faithful God would be.  Look at that group.

It's time for picture overload.

James loved Kristen, "that red-shirt girl."  He flew out of the car into her arms.  He's so quick to latch on and love people.  

It's extremely ironic that I sent James after Elijah when he ran away.  My boy is growing up.  I love this picture of the two blonde boys.  Elijah's blonde hair is very popular in India; his parents have to decline requests for pictures with him.

Elijah loved that toy, and those sweet kids did better on the couch than I thought they would.  Mary Jane loves her thumb; when you ask her where it is she'll pop it out of her mouth with a loud popping sound, grinning wide.

 Kisses Good Night

Elijah ignored the proffered cheek and planted one on her mouth.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to visit old friends.  Here's to 20 more years of friendship...I could even be a grandmother in 20 more years.  How brief and good is life.