FoReVeR fRiEnDs

FOREVER friends. That's what my friend Anna calls us. It almost sounds cheesy, but it's not. It's beautiful the way God has intertwined our lives the past 17 years. We've been through anything and everything you can imagine together (dating, driving, marriages, even divorce, infertility, having kids... the list goes on and on). They are precious to my soul and have shaped me into me. There are 4 of us girls. And 4 guys. We all grew up together at church and were/are the best of friends since 6th grade (some even before that). When my family first started attending the church where these FoReVeR friends attended, I decided to go on the Junior High Retreat. It was on that bus ride (via 1993), Anna offered me some Halloween candy from her gigantic pillowcase {Girl after my own heart}. The rest is history. We then became the best of friends- played with make-up together, stayed up late at slumber parties laughing for hours, took drivers-ed together (uh- YIKES), had our first beer together... a bit too young ;), were in each others weddings. Jessica lived down the street from me. We walked many-a-miles, before we could drive, back and forth to each others' houses. Always excited about a new story we wanted to write together, a new recipe we were going to cook, or giggling over which boy we were currently 'like so in love with.' Sarah has always been the queen of nicknames and inside jokes. She was always up to something. :) I love the slumber party memories at her house where we'd eat Jelly Belly-s, blare the Dixie Chicks or Beastie Boys, swim, and laugh so hard we cried. She used to say that her Radar Detector in her car reminded her of Batman and Robin- omg- don't have room for that story. Let's just say the 4 of us girls ended up on the side of the road with a totaled car. HA. We were always up to something. I love how the 4 of us are all so different, yet so close to this day. It's beautiful. It's forever friends. I feel so blessed to have grown up with such an amazing support group. The girls and I are still just as close (17 years later). We don't see the boys as often, but we sure love our sweet brothers.

Derek, Dustin, Kurk, Loren, and my girls (minus Sarah :( she's in California) along with many other friends all got together a few weeks ago, to celebrate Derek's wedding. Ohhh how I loved the walk down memory lane and seeing my FoReVeR friends.

Jessica and Anna

Jess, Anna, Me... and Richey is holding Baby Caleb (anna's) over our heads

Richey and Caleb

Jess and Dustin (twin brother of the groom)

Mine and Dustin's reaction when Jessica told us that when she wrote her dissertation a couple years ago- she included us (her forever friends) in the acknowledgements. WHAT? Why didn't you tell us we were famous?! ;)

J, Dustin, me

All night Richey was laughing at Jessica, Anna, and me- as we were sure to put our neck up and arms back so the picture looked good. hahaha. this is us making fun...

I love my hubby! I love how he fits right in with my old friends

At all of our weddings (those of us married), we all get a picture together with the added spouses of course. Love it!

l-r Kurk (and fiance Morgan), Loren (and wife Erin), Anna (and hubby Joseph), Michael- a friend from our youth group, Me (hubby Richey),

front- Jessica, Derek (and wife Stacy), Dustin

Happy Wedding Day, Derek and Stacy!

What a fun weekend!

and we were sure to stop in College Station for lunch on the way home from Houston. :) YUM.

and I have to include a pic with Sarah in it too! This was from May.

Anna, Me, Sarah