Friends

Two years ago I was so blessed to take Nic and Vanessa's wedding pics at Gulf Shores, Alabama smack dab on the beach. I met Vanessa through her roommate Laura whose wedding I was also photographing. Nic and Vanessa were in school at ACU and their families live in different states. I think our friendship started sometime around their wedding. They came over to show me a video that they had taken of the Gulf Shores location we would be at. My kids immediately fell in love with them, and they seemed to fit right in as family. Just two years of hanging out with this couple has blessed our family in so many ways. I love that my kids call them, or text them, just to say hi. Pretty much whatever Nic says is gospel truth around here with my kids, some of what he says, like giving Jack smooth lines to impress the girls on the playground make us laugh out loud hysterically. But the best part is that Nic and Vanessa are heading out to the mission field to plant house churches and they are completely in love with Jesus and they have a daily, active relationship with Him. My kids see that wacky, zany and fun go right along with devoted follower of Christ, thanks to Nic and Vanessa.

We got together with Nic and Vanessa this week for a final family meal with them out at Perini's. We had a blast, delicious burgers, tried some jalapeno cheesecake and laughed alot. The weather was perfect, it had rained that night and we were outside under a tarp eating on the patio. It was cool and peaceful with the smell of rain filling the air. It was the perfect ending to two years with Nic and Vanessa. The parting will be bittersweet for us. We will miss them so much, we have celebrated holidays, they have walked the survivor lap with our family along side Jack at the Walk for Life, they are friends that can come over and not have to freak out if our house isn't spotless, it is easy to be their friends.

We will have Skype to keep us in touch and see each other's faces. I imagine my kids will skype, text and call for years to come. We just wont be in the same town anymore. Did I mention that their mission field is Honalulu? We will look forward to seeing the Big Island when we visit, but not more than we will look forward to seeing our friends again face to face. Please pray for Nic and Vanessa to bless and be blessed on their mission field. Places that are touristy like Hawaii look great on the surface, but there is so much brokenness underneath, I pray Nic and Vanessa shine the light of Jesus each day for the rest of their lives.

Here are some pics of the group at Perini's. Don't think there are too many armadillo's in Hawaii so I thought we needed to get their pic with one. ; ) One big happy family...