So I started doing the “Thankful till Thanksgiving” posts on Facebook, and its been great spending the days looking for the thing I am MOST thankful for that day! Today however I was thinking of all the ladies in my life that have left a lasting impression, and when I tried to come up with a small little post detailing how thankful I am for each and everyone one of you in my life, it seemed to minimize all ya’lls impact!
So… you get you’re own blog! I figured I could write it out, and attach it to the status update without spamming all of facebook, although I hope each and every one of you read it… cause YOU were who I wanted to spam!
(This is obviously in NO particular order, and I will likely be working on this for the rest of the day in my free time, in an HONEST effort not to forget the contributions of even ONE of you, but please please please please please…. if you read to the bottom and you are not mentioned, don’t believe for a second that you did not impact my life in some way, I am human with tired mama brain, it was NOT intentional!)
Jilly Bean: You’ve stood the test of time… all my insanity, when I had no clue who I was, you were there loving me anyway, and welcoming me back when I finally saw the error of my ways. Thank you for being so amazing, being my sister, my best friend in the whole world, and getting me like few can… I love you!
Amanda & Jen: I love and look forward to our Christmas/Summer rendezvous, watching each others kids getting bigger, swapping stories, and catching up!
Melissa, Allison, and Anna: THANK YOU! Young Life changed the course of my life… while I didn’t realize it then, I certainly do now… and I have you and your wonderful guidance in my life during those formative years to thank for that!
Holly, Katie, Liza: Ya’ll are hilarious, and while we don’t hang out so much anymore, you are still very much in the forefront of all my middle school/H.S. memories, and it was awesome reconnecting this spring and being reminded that even a decade apart we can still have a blast!
Carrie: We shared a crazy nomadic life style our senior year in H.S., and now you are my window to adventure down in South Beach!
Kasey: You and your sister both crack me up, and I love knowing both of you! Your sense of humor is the same, and it always comes off without a hitch! I love that when we see each other its always under the most random of occurances, and yet we still have a great time!
Crystal: You have been in my prayers for going on 15+ years. I pray you feel GOD’s love for you, and live out of that overflow, searching for other people to love you the way only God can is an impossible task, fraught with disappointment. I love you, and will continue praying for you.
Tonya & Jenny: Both ya’ll held my most precious babes at some point, and I will always be grateful to you for your help in raising some totally awesome dudes, thank you for pouring love into them!
Rachel: You were the first example of motherhood I could relate too, your sense of humor and candor crack me up even a thousand miles. I am so thankful for all your stories
Renee: You have one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen! You give and give and give of yourself, never asking for a thing in return. I’m so thankful for the years we spent together in Austin, and that Cubby has an Aunt Nene!
Kaley: I’ve loved watching you embrace your role as a mama, you are amazing at it, and Selah is blessed! You are so sweet, and you are an awesome boost for my ego thinking I have any clue what I’m doing 😉
Lacey: You always perfectly personified “Texas” for me 🙂 You love big, you laugh big, your heart is big. You welcome anyone and everyone and treat them like family. I love being a part of your ‘family’!
Kristen, Courtney, Katherine: Ya’ll were the best small group a girl could ask for in Austin! It’s been amazing watching you all become mama’s and seeing your beautiful babes grow on FB! I wish I could meet each of them in person, but if that day doesn’t come, hearing the stories of their antics and seeing their cute faces on Facebook will have to suffice! Katherine, I wish you ALL the best, as you embark on the adventure as life as a missionary with your family!
Emily, Becca, Jessica: Oh the fun we had 🙂 Yes… THAT just happened!! I’m still holding out hope that one of these vacation times we’ll be able to join ya’ll and have so much fun with our growing families!
Sarah: Your faith has always been an inspiration to me, no matter the struggles or hardships you endure, your faith is not shaken!
Sara: You amaze me! All you do, mostly, if not all, on your own…. kids, practically a zoo of animals, a garden, a library, and now school…. You make me tired just thinking about it!
Ang: Your perseverance, courage, faith, forgiveness, and grace… so many awesome qualities on display for the world to see!
Jenny: Sure we had a healthy dose of sibling rivalry, but you are an amazing mom to soon to be FOUR… you pour out your life for those kids, and I can see it in their adoration of you!
Rebecca: Yes, we had are share of sibling rivalry as well, but its exciting to see you stepping out on your own with Travis now! I’m so excited for you, and can’t wait to see all the adventures you have in your life!
Annie, Sarah, Julie, Heidi, Blake, Amy, Katie: Ya’ll are the best cousins, and cousins in-law a girl could ask for… seriously! Family reunions are top priority to make because it would mean a chance to catch up with ya’ll… and I’m hoping as the years go on, we can continue planning fun family outings so OUR kids can meet and have all the fun we did with our own cousins growing up!
Julie R: Your smile and laugh are infectious and you light up a room, it is a joy just to be near you. Your belief in me, makes me believe in myself and I can’t thank you enough for that!
Stephanie: You quite literally save my life everyday… I was thankful for our friendship before you ever started watching the boys, and now, its that much more awesome having a friend with me in my house everyday, literally living out life with me… I couldn’t do it without you!
Linsay: I love EVERYDAY that you are staying in the D.C. area… and now that you’re even contemplating house hunting, so exciting! I’ve loved developing our friendship together and hope we get to continue doing so for years to come!!
Taryn, Andee, Julie S: Inspirational leaders and woman of faith, thank you for pouring out your hearts in service to the church, your husbands, and families! I am so thankful to have the opportunity to know you!
Natalie: I love doing our crazy, hectic, everyday mama lives together…. so hectic in fact that it quite often doesn’t seem like we’re doing them together, but knowing someone is there is always the comfort!
Nancy, Jenn, Kaci, Courtney, Julia: Ya’lls unwavering support to your husbands in service, and the sacrifice you endure without flinching is inspirational!
Marci & Terri: The hilarity that ensues when we are together is priceless!
Esther, Jessica S, Jessica E, Ebony, Tamara, Summer, Melissa, Julie L., Rainbow, Kristina, Katherine, Chelsea B, Mary Ruth, Victoria, Torrey, Christina, Sarah, Dawn, Michelle, Tiara, Tyler, Shannon, Amanda, Amber, Heather, Charity, Faith, Emily, Katie, Keirsten, Kim, Kris, Stephanie, Lindsay, Maria, Melanie, Tiffany…. The list can go on, of this I am sure…. but this place is now home because of each and everyone one of you! Thank you for your hearts, your smiles, words of encouragement, help, friendship, fun, ear to listen, or offer for prayer, it is all appreciated!
(Mom, Diane, Gramma’s, Aunts, don’t worry you weren’t forgotten… you’ll just get you’re own post soon :))
As I made this list, it became quite obvious that I don’t get to spend anywhere NEAR as much time as I would like to with everyone on it… whether their 5 minutes, or 500+ miles away. However, the constant with each one of you is that when I do see you, talk to you, or facebook you the connection is instant and we can just pick up where we left off…. whether that’s still learning about each other, or just adding a little water to an already well planted friendship.
While I was writing them out, the following characteristics I could have listed for each and everyone of you, but that would have made for a repetitive/monotonous post, so I opted to include them all at the end: Thank you for your pure heart, the transparency of your soul, the inspiration to live a bigger more full life, and the grace you pour out on me when I fall short. Thank you for letting me be me, and loving me anyway 🙂 I love each and everyone of you! Though the time lapses between can drag on, know you had a impact on me, and I am eternally thankful to have you in my life!
Love,
~*~Julie~*~