Sisterhood

This has been an interesting passage in my life.
This move to Utah, to family....to "home."
But, I must say, there is not one thing that has come forseen or expected.
Expect the unexpected...as they say.

But I have never really expressed my love, and gratitude, to some really incredible people that filled my life. This photo of women were my "girls." I am not sure how it all happened, or came together, but I wished I had chronicled so many moments.

I wish you could have known each of them. So unique. So individual. So artistic. So faithful. So amazing.

Here's how it started for me. I was alone many hours in my weeks. Paul, climbing the coorporate ladder, and I.... well...having babies. We didn't plan it that way. The babies. They just came to us, in a figure of speech. We had spent all of savings on infertility and then we had darling Lauren come to our family. And I, on many a morning, convinced myself that, "This is it. One is good! One is a blessing. One is fabulous!" And it was!

Then it happened. An ear infection...with a heart murmur? Then, blood work. And an urgent phone call from the PA. "You won't believe this, but you are about 6 weeks pregnant!" Yes...it was Tadje. And then...Gabriel. And then.....we were done! And then.....there was one. Ava.

During these years I found myself a little down. Paul traveled a lot. Life was busy from sunrise to sun down. Each night as I climbed into bed, I prayed. I would kneel into my pillow with tear filled eyes and pray. I prayed for peace. I prayed for patience. I prayed for Paul. And I ALWAYS prayed for a friend. "Just one friend," I would plead. Like a child begging for a toy. Please, just one.

And then there was one, and then another, and another, and another. Like small pieces of color making a magnificent mosaic. This wasn't like friendships I had ever had. They were like....family. Any one of us could call and with in fifteen minutes we all knew who needed help, dinner, a playdate, a sitter..what? You name it.

All unique. All different. All full of life. All beautiful.

We had Thanksgiving dinners. And date nights. And rainy afternoon playdates. And laughter. And new babies. And busy husbands. And children. And back surgries. And long runs. And newly painted rooms. And Christmas Carol singing. And trick or treating. And recipe exchanging. And shopping. And hugs. And respect. And love. And concern. And the Gospel.

We weren't perfect, and we didn't try to be either. All the private conversations. All the listening, and giggling and meeting, and helping, and supporting.

I suppose that what I am trying to say is that,
we had a Sisterhood. Yes, a Sisterhood.
(Nope, not a sorority.)

We loved each other for our similarities and differences.

It was a great time in my life.
It was a real blessing.
It was a little piece of Heaven!
It was wonderful!

This picture was taken right before our move. I just found it today. I was flooded with fond memories and feelings for each woman here...and a couple missing faces too. But I think in hind sight....it was just what I needed.
Sisterhood.

Creative. Quirky. Smart. Gentle. Kind. Steadfast. Faithful. Peacemaker. Fun. Soft Spoken. Patient. Listener. Bishops Wife. Lawyer. Mini. Smart. Intuitive. Runner. OSU. Reader. Quilter. Scrapper. Photographer. Intellect. Sunglasses. Triathalon. Musical. Cook. Baker. Travels. Model. Colorful. Forgiving. Decorator. Funny. Understanding. Temple. Intelligent. Thrifty. Mother. Family. Girls. Laugh. A boy. Floral. Stitching.
Georgeous!

Lucky me.