Erin & the kids

This is my friend Erin

I love this picture of her (above) because it says so much. Erin learning how to farm. Erin realizing how people end up at the grocery store with mud on their jeans. (I mean, if you are harvesting beans, why would you shower only to come home and get dirty again?)

Erin married one of John's oldest friends (Craig) many, many moons ago. And we've had a chance to hang out with them a few times over the years. 

Back in October of 2014

On the farm in early 2016

April 2019

Today

Erin has become one of my very dearest and best friends. I am honestly amazed that God could have known and put into motion months ago that when her husband was deployed she would live HERE with US while my husband was, while not deployed, battling on a different war front. 

We are SO very different. I have joked often that if you could roll us into one person we'd make one PERFECT grown-up woman. I am a morning person. She is a night person. She can talk to people on the phone and conquer the world. I avoid the phone like the plague. I take naps. She can't imagine ever resting in the middle of the day.  

But we both love Jesus. And our husbands. And our children. (And while I am at it, cookies and bread too!) We strive to give our children experiences instead of things. (Although, to be fair, my kids have more "things" because you have not met more of a minimalist than Erin!)

We are both great communicators. We go direct to the source. We have become teammates. Sisters. 

I've had many friends in my life. And if you are reading this and are one of my dear friends, don't take this as any slight on you. I have many friends that occupy separate sections of my heart.

But Erin has found her section. 

She has come here because she needed us.

Only I had no idea how much I needed her.

How much my Sidge needed to have Zach and Zoey looking up to him. 

We honestly NEVER want them to leave. 

John and I have both said that their departure (sometime in Spring 2022) will be a HUGE hole in our lives. It's always hard when you dare to love people. Because then those people have to move on, and you have to say good bye. 

I cannot IMAGINE what it will be like when Erin isn't here anymore. She truly is one of the kindest, realest, loyalist, funnest, most present people I have ever met. And, her children have totally won me over. I'm smitten with all of them.

Who said blood is thicker than water?