Joanna (part 1)

our journals

"Nothing's more important than people.  In other words, friendship is the most important thing, not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured." ~ the ever inspiring Julia Child



Joanna and I have been friends ever since we met at college in 1994.  After graduating together from the one year Bible program, we each, within months, got married to the loves of our lives and began a pen-pal relationship with each other that included lots of letters, tons of photos, and an occasional phone call. 

Each time we have had the extra-special treat of actually visiting face to face it became an extremely exciting and noteworthy event.  After the sad goodbyes, we would race to get the photos developed so we could mail each other the doubles.  We had one such memorable visit this past weekend, and instead of racing to make copies of pictures, we are racing to blog them.  (SO fun.)

Joanna has enriched my life and shaped it so that I don't know who I would be if she had never entered into my heart.  I LOVE her artsy soul, her passion for questions and deep conversations, and her love for God and family. 

She and her husband have four children.  Interestingly, their last daughter was adopted and is the very same age as my own Sarah Joy.  Joanna brought the girls with her this weekend and it was a thrill to see our daughters together for the very first time.  I think it was love at first sight for Gee (my Gracie) and Coco (her Chloe).  The two big girls shared a room and stayed up talking even longer than Joanna and I did. 

gee and coco

 

And then the little girls.  Oh!  Such sweetness it made our hearts ache.  To see before our eyes the daughters we had been longing for....with Joanna's desire to adopt fulfilled, and my desire to have  "just one more girl, please Lord" and our prayers answered at just the same time.

sarah and tsega

bubbles

But the visit really belonged to US.  So often I felt tears behind my eyes (as I do now) with gratitude for HER and the friendship we share.  What joy to have a life-long sister friend to walk through life with.  I thank God for this special gift.

The top picture is one I took of us sitting on the couch side by side, looking through each other's journals.   I liked her journal more than mine and she liked mine more than hers.  We both share a love for pictures, books, quotes, and inspiration....looking through each other's collected bits and pieces within the pages of our journals was a joy. 

She only lives about 4 hours away but with the busyness of life and motherhood it's just not that easy to get together............

Quite honestly, I can't even describe all the ways this visit became one of our best yet.

jo with my son seth

at the downtown coffee shop

joanna in the park

We crammed so much into our weekend that I will continue with other post soon. 

Happy fourth of July weekend to my USA friends.  xoxo