Friends

Well, it has been a busy week - Alex has been working like a dog, and consequently, so have Cooper and I. But, it's not quite over - still have another week of weird schedules and lots to do! But, as I've been thinking this week ("What am I going to post to the blog - it's been five days, and I don't even have any pictures!!!") - I was struck by how lucky Alex and I both are. We have our health, and each other, and our son, and our home, and our parents, our brothers and sisters, and our church family, and indoor plumbing, and a blue sky and sunshine, and so many other things...I could spend forever making a list of all the things we have to be thankful for. But, something that God has blessed us with far beyond what we deserve are our friends.

We have so many dear friends - old friends, new friends, prospective friends, friends that just get us,weird friends, cool friends, silly friends, pretty (& handsome) friends, friends we can laugh with, friends we can cry with, friends who challenge us, friends who lift us up, friends we can spend hours and hours on the phone with, friends to play games with, friends to eat with, friends to cook for, friends who love our son, friends whose children we delight in, friends near and friends far. When I think about all those friends and see their faces in my mind, I am so humbled by this marvelous gift from the Lord and so thankful that I want to cry and shout my praise out loud. (Perhaps the original use of the term "Shout out!"?)

So, thank you to all our friends, for being such wonderful treasures to us. And thank you, Lord, for loving us so much to give us these wonderful treasures. We pray that we can be a blessing to others the way that so many have blessed us.