The Gift of Friends

A couple of weeks ago we were blessed to have some of our great friends visiting for a week. Steve, Amber, and their son, Lincoln came to visit from Illinois. Steve came out to help us with some sound stuff at the church, but we got the bonus of getting to hang out with them. Julie also was able to come from Colorado, and we had an awesome week together hanging out and just being together. Amber and Julie are two of my best friends from college, and they were also two of my bridesmaids in my wedding. Steve and Mark lived in the same townhouse our senior year of college, and since we don't live near each other, it is always a gift to be able to spend time together in the same place.

I am constantly reminded what a blessing good friends like this are. These friends knew us before we were married and walked through various seasons of life with us. They are people we just get to relax with, laugh with, and "be" with. And while we talk on the phone pretty regularly, getting to spend time together is always refreshing. We spent a lot of time at home hanging out and playing games, but we also got to head out to do a few fun "local" things like Silver Falls State Park and the downtown carousel.

Mark got to hold our purses and Julie's pink phone while we rode the carousel. Doesn't he look good? :)

Julie and I on our horses whose names I've already forgotten. They were something like "moonstar" and "liberty" but I'm not totally sure.

Lincoln and Steve rode a horse that didn't go up and down. I think Lincoln enjoyed it even though he was a little unsure at first.

What a cute family!

This picture makes me happy. It's the "girls" picture by South Falls.

We made the guys take a "boys" picture even though they weren't as gung-ho about it :).

Welcome to Oregon!

What a fun line-up! Steve and Amber made Mark carry Lincoln around as "practice" for some day down the line.

Lincoln "bouldering" with Mark as spotter. He was quite the climber. He practically scaled the booth in a restaurant one night, so this was nothing for him!

So cute!

Julie flew out seven hours later than Steve, Amber, and Lincoln, so we made a quick hop over to the coast at Cannon Beach for the afternoon to do a little hike. This is a crazy zoomed in view of the lighthouse at Cannon Beach.

Yep, that little rock out there is the lighthouse.

At the end of our hike at a viewpoint.

the gorgeous cliffs and rocks that typify the Oregon coast.

I am so thankful for this week we were able to have together. I feel so blessed to have them in my life and to be able to have times where we get to see each other, even when we live halfway across the country. This, combined with seeing Amber and another great friend, Christin, in August, has combined to make for a great few months of connections. I truly feel like the friends God has given me are gifts of grace, and I need these times to remind me to not take them for granted. Thanks, friends, for a fun week. Let's do it again soon!