La La

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about...you, since I have you in my heart...this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
~Ephesians 1:2-11ish

I met Laura right after I turned 16. We were both in high school and we both had jobs at Sweet Spirit Christian Bookstore. That's where we met. We were insta-friends and a lot of our customers thought we were sisters. I think it was the red hair. She wasn't just a friend, she is a kindred spirit.

We've been friends for 13 years. We were in high school together (though at different schools). We both lost different friends to tragedy before we first met and shared some of that grief together. We went through boy crushes together, though I was definitely way more boy crazy than she. Then we physically moved apart. She gave me a sweet graduation gift and a card with a Scripture on it that I still carry in my wallet. She still carries the Swiss Army pocket knife I got her in Switzerland with her nick name engraved on it. (Well, she did before she moved to Kenya and needed a bigger knife then that - ha!)

I went through college in TN and she to mission training in NC at The Master's mission where she met her husband, Travis. We had prayed for him. Before Nate and I even started talking, I drove to NC to sing and be a bridesmaid in her wedding. She and her husband finished their training for being missionaries and then began raising money and support so they could go to Kenya. I graduated and moved home and then got married to Nate. We had prayed for him. She and her husband moved back to GA and drove up to our wedding from the area/church they were serving in. She was about to pop with a beautiful baby girl. Laura and Travis gave us an inscribed Bible, inscription was one of Laura's old duties from our Sweet Spirit days, and that is the one we still use as a couple. Nate and I moved to NC. Laura and Travis finally rose the funds and support they needed to head to the mission field. Nate left for his new job training and I got to drive over and see Laura, her family and meet her two precious girls before they left for Masai Mara, Kenya. We moved to VA.

For the past four years we've exchanged emails, blogs and Facebook notes. Today I got to drive over to Front Royal, VA and finally see Laura again face to face. She got to meet Will and see my ever growing baby #2 belly. I got to meet her two younger daughters and see her older two again. We didn't have long together as they were in route to PA to visit family, but it was worth the drive just to hug her neck.

Laura is one of my most favorite people, ever. I relax and recall myself just by being in her gentle and calming presence. This is even with 5 kids distracting us! May God continue to bless you, protect you and ever draw you to Him, LaLa. Please tell your Mom thank you for going out of her way today. Love ya!

I wish I could post a picture of Laura and I in high school but that was long before digital cameras and I have no idea how to scan and upload pictures. Here's from today...

Us and the kiddos outside of Cracker Barrel in Front Royal, VA

The 5 munchkins.



Will (almost 2) and Savannah (2 1/2) were quick to become partners in crime. Please note, they are shaking hands. Those two would definitely find trouble together if given the opportunity.


To read more about what Laura and her family are doing in the Masai Mara please check out their blog http://thesawyerscoop.blogspot.com/.