My Person #1

I have decided that EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THIS QUARANTINE, I am going to post a picture of someone who MATTERS in my life and write just a brief bit about how they've impacted me. I will be putting them all in this ONE post to remember the GOOD in my life during this time. These are in no particular order!

May 4: My cousin's wife, Sarah. Josh and Sarah lived by us in Franklin, KY for two years before any of us had children. She will always be the Ethel to my Lucy.

May 3: Ms. Leeann was there with me for the birth of my Sidge (a very scary birth) and we have stayed in touch ever since. She has totally sold out for the Lord and it is so amazing to see her dedicate her life (along with her husband) to Christ! She is an awesome lady.

May 2: Ms. Lee who owns a cabin next to Roy & Joni in Vermont. She has been helping my niece Grace with some college stuff and is just a beautiful soul that has nestled herself into an "Aussie-sized" piece of my heart.

May 1: This is my friend Kelley with her daughter Remi. We've become good friends. I miss her during this pandemic. She is a beautiful soul that has faced some tough stuff in her life and is going to come out SO WELL!

April 30: Our lives became connected through a puppy and then the loss of her husband while he was on our farm visiting those puppies. Toni will always hold a special place in my heart as will her granddaughter, Cali.

April 29: My closest online friend is definitely the "Funky Monkey" Andi who know, through extraordinary circumstances, owns one of my puppies named Abigail! :)

April 28: My father-in-law is a GEM. I am so blessed to have him living here on the farm with us where I can bug him EVERY SINGLE DAY with all my concerns/needs/desires/frustrations! :)

April 27: I truly felt the Lord tell me when I met Angelica's husband in Turkey "Go find his wife. She's gonna be your friend." And OH am I glad I did. This lady is in Spain now, but man do I love her! 

April 26: My friend Joia isn't on social media, but she became my friend back on Eglin AFB in 2003. She reached out to me when I was alone and infertile and overwhelmed being the only childless person in our social group, and we've been friends ever since.

April 25: Today I want to say how thankful I am for my Dad. He's one cool guy and a very cool "Papa Coach."

April 24: My Mom's sister, Jan, is my "Tante" Jan, and she is very dear to me. I am so excited that her son, Eddie, lives by us now so that hopefully we can see her and her husband Ed more and more.

April 23: Linda has been our friend since Turkey, and I am so glad we have stayed in touch with their now-family-of-four since way back in 2010! My favorite Linda story was when she went out in Turkey with me once and realized, "Man Wendi. You do NOT blend."

April 22: She always believed I'd be a Mama. And always believed I'd have a little girl. I am so blessed my two boys got to meet her before my Grama Gert (Dad's mom) went home to the Lord. The biggest prayer warrior (and healthiest eater!) I've ever met.

April 21: Ms. Debbie: She's been a part of my Fort Lauderdale family for as long as I can remember and has been such an encouragement to me through infertility, anxiety, depression, and just life. She also does a pretty mean hair-do.

April 20: Jessica and her daughter Bailee are fellow ballet moms and have become great church friends now too. She and I are quite different, but I have just fallen in love with this gal's sweet heart. And her lasagna. 

April 19: Kristi. My college roommate. I haven't seen her in FOREVER but she will be there for me in a heartbeat. Love this girl. We were night and day. But we were united for life.

April 18: Mary Kitsteiner my mother-in-law who has known me since I was a very little girl. This is a picture of her with our little Sidge. She's a gem, and I truly don't want to imagine being a farmer without her around! Her help is INVALUABLE

April 17: Man do I have some beautiful ladies in my life. Here is Kelsey: my blonde basketball sister. Our story is deep and painful and beautiful and wonderful and we are united forever.

April 16: My dear Patty. From Eglin to Turkey to Florida and one of our puppies.  We are so different and yet have such similar hearts that just want to LOVE. I love this lady (and her little Finn and Troy and her husband Yamil!)

April 15: A Throwback photo of my dear friend Michelle and I at our senior prom. She has been my friend since we were five-years-old. We were the maid/matron of honors in each other's wedding. She will also be so incredibly dear to me.

April 14: My dear friend Lori Ann has played such an integral role in the life of my little Abigail and myself. In fact, not having ballet right now has been one of the hardest parts of this quarantine. That studio is an extension of my church, and I miss it terribly.

April 13: This is my friend Mary Kay. We had gotten to know each other in the Azores, but then, when her family finished with the military, they unexpectedly moved "down the road" from us (about 40 minutes!) to pastor a local church. She is such a fantastic lady, and I am so blessed to have her and her family in my life nearby. 

April 12: My cousin/friend Hannah. This picture isn't "ideal" but I love it because it looks like our lives together -- kids running by in a blur, large groups of people, but my cousin's wife, Hannah Grace, smiling despite carrying around a heavy #6 ... truly she was such a huge piece to a missing puzzle piece for my life here. I love her.

April 11: My friend Jenn (right). Today is her birthday so it is a perfect day to say how thankful I am to have met her. We are friends through school/ballet/church, and she is real and pure and photogenic and helpful and loyal ... (She also cleans my house which is a gift bigger than ANYTHING else ANYONE can give me!)

April 10: And because yesterday I paid tribute to Bri, today I pay tribute to her Mama, Joni, who is like a second mother to me. She is truly one of my very favorite people.

April 9: My son Isaac's birth mom, Bri. I've known her since she was a little girl, and because of her selflessness, she made me a MOMMYy!

April 8: My sister-in-law Danielle. She is married to John's brother Matt, and she has become one of my dearest friends. We are always constantly working to stay-in-shape while both loving food WAY too much. :)

April 7: My husband John "JB". He probably should have been my first listed person as he is my BFF and my other half of which I truly don't deserve.

April 6: My sister-in-law, Adrienne "AD". She is truly the best thing that my brother ever did -- a one-of-a-kind gem which is a great gift when you only have one sibling!!

April 5: Our friend Anni. She truly is the community we so hoped we'd find on this farm!

April 4: My Turkey Buddy Sarah (aka "Stebbs"): She is honest, forthright, encouraging, and  always leaves ONE thing at my house anytime she comes over. 

April 3: My college basketball teammate: Shea; Shea is loyal, trustworthy, devoted, and a fighter.

April 1: My mother: Diane Huisman; she birthed me and loves me unconditionally and loves my children a TON!