Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Best Friends

Joey's best friend, Kevin, and his beautiful family came to visit us last week. Kevin, his wife Molly, and adorable baby Josie, who was named after our son, brought love, laughter and comfort to our home. His mom, Melissa, who is my best friend, and her husband and her other two sons also came, and it was like the good old days when we all used to go on vacation together. It was emotional to see them, as we rarely ever saw Kevin apart from Joey, and it definitely felt like someone was missing. . .but seeing him also brought us tremendous joy and comfort. Jaime said it was like being with her brother again, and there was much happiness in our home while they were here.

Here Isabel gets to hold our sunshine girl, Josie.
Josie is always smiling great big twinkly smiles and she's obviously inherited major IQ points from her double veterinarian parents. At just over a year, she "speaks" sign language and can parrot just about anything you ask her to say.

On our last night together, we watched home movies of all of our kids growing up together those many years ago just a few doors apart on the same street. We have so many memories, they all run together. They grew up going to the same schools and the same church, and shared every barefoot summer vacation. Some of the videos we hadn't looked at in years. It was just so good to remember how much fun they all had together as children, and how richly interwoven our lives have been for so many decades. It takes time and hundreds of experiences to create that kind of bond.

In order left to right: Tom, Jeremy, Molly, Kevin, Joe, Josie, Ryan, Melissa.
I can't tell you how much I love these people.
They are the best kind of friends--with you on the mountain tops and down in the valleys, and every place in between.

Proverbs 18:24
There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

4 comments:

Beckypdj said...

There's nothing like old friends. People that have known you forever and have shared so much. That is a major reason I love living in our small town.

It is good to have people to hang out with that miss them too. There's no strain or self consciousness when their name is brought up, just mutual feelings.

Happy you had this time with dear friends :)

Anonymous said...

I love the new pictures of these friends as I remember when Josie was born. Glad you had that special time.
Home movies sounds wonderful. xoxo Sharon

Gberger said...

I'm thankful to God that you have such friends in your life, and that you are able to get together and share precious memories. That is beyond price.

Anonymous said...

Good looking bunch. I like the twinkle smiles baby--she is too cute. Seems like all the memories of Joey with friends, family, on the road--are so alive. He can't be sitting still in heaven cause he wasn't programmed that way.

When I visit your blog, I see kindness and love of the bestest kind. Love through thick and thin. You are all so wonderful together. I find peace here Karen. Big hugs to you today. I love you muches.