She sends me a facebook message to let me know she’ll be in town, and I count down the days because I can hardly wait to hug her neck. Yes, we just saw each other at Allume in October, but you see…she’s my community.
My sister.
My friend.
And from the first minutes of the ride back from Schaumburg, it’s like old times. Or, in particular, old timE…because this is only the second time we’ve been in real life. There have been countless Google hangout prayer times and a few other chats, connecting over blogs and Twitter and dreaming…and all of these things have made us old friends.
She does life with me that day…we stop at church and I get to introduce her to a few of my favorite people. We deliver bread to the daycare I visit every Friday. Maelie and I take her to our favorite little restaurant for lunch, and then it’s back to my house, where I put on my yoga pants…the ones I promised her I’d be wearing when I picked her up, and then I showed up in skinny jeans. (Sorry.) 😉
And we make hot chai, kick our feet up on the furniture, and heart-spill.
It’s wonderful.
At one point, we even pull out the Nutella and two spoons…making up for what was supposed to happen at Allume and didn’t. I find that, after trying it for the third time, I actually like it…and I double, then triple, dip. Good friends can do that, you know. 😉
And though we promise not to check the clock, we watch the hours, then minutes, tick slowly toward the five, and we know it’s almost over…the seven hours of in-real-life sisterhood we were privileged to share.
We snap a few selfies and even share one on Facebook with our dream team…and I really should have turned off the flash, but I didn’t, and it’s ok. We’re just really bright and sparkly…which is kind of how our hearts felt that day, anyway. 😉
Too soon, it’s time to pack up and take her home.
The traffic is a little pokey, and for once, I don’t mind. Let it crawl, let it crawl, I pray.
There are moments we want to hold on to…and this past Friday was one of them.
My sweet sister, Mandy, came to my house, sat on my couch, and shared life with me. It’s kind of been a dream for a long time…and it was every bit as sweet as I thought it would be.
And it would have been, even without the Nutella. 😉
Here’s to sisterhood and the blessing of community…a gift I can’t even put into words.
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Happy Tuesday, friends! Today is the day when I join some sweet friends at Crystal’s space for Behind the Scenes. We’re sharing the silly and sweet and sometimes-tear-jerking moments that happen behind the camera lens…I hope you’ll take some time and pop over to read some great stories.
Social media and online relationships can make us feel like everyone else has it all together. We’re edited, proof-read, Pinterest-perfect versions of ourselves (or so some might think!) when – in reality? There is an unfinished pile of laundry around the corner. That cute toddler smiling for the camera just had a massive meltdown seconds ago. That yummy breakfast-for-dinner you just showed us on Instagram? It’s because the cat licked the chicken that was supposed to be for dinner.
“Behind the Scenes” is a fun link up where we show those photos – but tell the real story behind them. The sneak peek behind the scenes, a look past the edges of the photo to the real life behind it.
So jealous but so glad that you got to have this time together!! Love you both!!
Love you, Kristin!
Love you, friend…can’t wait til we can all be together!
Wonderful post, Mel! I love your heart! Happy Tuesday!!!
Thank you, sweet friend…happy Tuesday to you!
Like Kristin, I am happy that you two were able to spend time together but I am a little jealous (okay more than a little).
Aw, big hugs to you, sweet friend! Someday we’ll have a long chat over Diet Coke. 😉 Love you!
You’re making me cry, girl! But I’m smiling big through the tears
I cannot tell you how much Friday meant to me, but somehow I think you know. You kept saying it, but I’m turning it back to you: YOU are a gift. I am so grateful for the way God wove our hearts together through all the dreaming and prayer. We spent Friday exactly how I wanted–just doing my life with someone I love. Can’t wait for the next time! XOXO
Love you, sweet friend…you are such a gift to me.
Oh, this makes my heart happy and sad all at the same time!!!
So love both of you girls!!
Love you, Julie!
Aw, friend…love you!!! Sending a hug and prayers that our next (in)RL hug will be soon!
Dear Mel and Mandy
I cannot write to the one and not the other for this is such a great story of you both. I especially like the Nutella sharing. That is now the kind of things good friends do!!
Blessings XX
Mia
Blessings to you, friend…thank you for your sweet words.
Have a beautiful day!
The part that caught my eye was NUTELLA….and two spoons! That’s great, Mel, just great you two can do that
Happy for YOU!
Thank you, friend!
(((hugs)))
You two are precious.
Thanks, Kristin! You are sweet.
(sigh) so jealous 😉 I’m SO glad the two of you were able to meet up in real life and sit and talk!!! How great is that!!!
Thank you, friend…so looking forward to the day we can exchange a hug!
Mel,
I’d be jealous except that the love I have for both my sister-dreamers makes me nothing but delighted for your fellowship. Behold how beautiful and pleasant it is when sister dwell together in unity….and I’m forgiving you both for the Nutella thing, but I don’t want y’all making it a habit….
Peace, good, and hugs to you both
You have such an amazing heart, my friend…I can’t wait for the day when we can sit down, all of us, together. Nutella or not, I know it will be sweet.
Thanks for the blessing you are!
Ha! We must have missed you by mere minutes at Benedict’s.
Here’s to good friends and heart spills!
Haha…that would have been fun. I love Benedict’s…mmmm. 😉 Coffee soon?
I so wish we lived closer together! I’m thrilled that you and Mandy got to enjoy the gift of community. God designed us for relationship with Him first and then with each other, and sometimes He puts us together with people that just “fit” us somehow. And I love the expression “heart-spill”. So accurate for what girlfriends do over chai and Nutella! Love you, friend!
Love you, dear friend…you are such a blessing to me. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!