Thankful Thursday

(Don't you love the new look on the blog??  Thank you oodles and oodles to Joy Neal, a dear friend walking out her journey as a missionary in Indonesia!  Joy, you are amazing!  Don't forget to sign up to receive email updates about new posts on the right!)

For some reason, I have not blogged in the past week.  Not for lack of thoughts, though.  I have things to say, recipes to share, and lots of great pics on my camera.  But sick kids trump all, and I have had sick kiddos for almost two weeks.  All three bigs had fevers last week, and this week, our poor Sophia has more double ear infections. (I think her 5th or 6th time now?)  So lots of home days, baby holding, and a slower-paced schedule for us.  That part has actually been quite nice.  The kids have painted, Micah put together a wooden birdhouse, we collected samples in petri dishes to watch bacteria grow, we played a geography game, we've worked through tons of curriculum and have read lots of books.  We've snuggled and done puzzles and have been memorizing Psalm 23.  We've had lots of time to be together and to enjoy our homeschooling life.  Such a joy.

As I've thought about Thankful Thursday today, I realized that I am especially thankful this week for friends. Two of my closest friends (one from Michigan, one from Canada) were in town recently, and it was such a treat to have time with both.

Kim, Melissa, and Me

My friends and my family threw me the most AMAZING surprise 30th birthday party on Saturday.  I thought I was going to a Thirty-One party (where they sell bags and organizing materials, etc.) but really it was a "Thirty" party!  I had a couple of suspicions that made me wonder if there was to be a surprise party, so I felt nervous all day and silly for either scenario...party or not!  Well, it was most definitely a party!  I was overwhelmed in the hugest way with how blessed I am to have such amazing women in my life.  And it is always such a beautiful thing to have women from different circles and parts of my life all in one place.  So I really wanted to record this down as one of life's best moments to date.  I am blessed beyond words.  I couldn't stop smiling.  And I had SUCH a blast.  We had a table full of appetizers, sangria, and a delectable chocolate fountain!  AND they spoiled me with gifts...lots of them!  Seriously, amazing, amazing, amazing birthday surprise!

So today, I am thankful for friendship and for the gift of friends in my life.  I do not EVER want to take this for granted.  I am one rich gal.  (I wish I had pictures of everyone there!  But this will have to do for now...)  

Two of my closest friends...my mama and my sister.

My mom's bestie, Julie, who is family to me.

My bestie of 15 years now!  Blessed, blessed, blessed...

My "book study girls," who are my lifesavers on so many levels.

Starting to become slaphappy at midnight!  We kept saying, "Why didn't we take pictures in the beginning of the night when we all looked better?"

Me and  my Melissa, my favorite Canadian

I came across a devotion from Lysa Turkeurst today on exactly this.  Friendship.  

There aren't many women who enjoy being revealed, exposed, and uncovered. But establishing real intimacy with another person requires pushing past the resistance—past the fear.
Friendship is risky. To be known is to risk being hurt. But friendship can be beautiful, and worth the risk...

I am so thankful for women who have taken that risk with me...who have allowed me to share myself and my stuff and who have let me in to know theirs, too.  This is a gift.  This is beautiful.

Yes, friendship is beautiful. The Lord gave it to us. He knew we would need each other to get through this life.

I am thankful for friends today.

What are you thankful for?