Friends

The kids are settled nicely into their back-to-school routines and I am crawling into my new groove. Even with the work and noise that the four little people cause, life just doesn't feel right when they're not home. It's been a couple weeks now and I'm finally acclimating to the loud silence that fills the void in our home. One of the blessings in that void has been the ability for me to reconnect with friends. 

What a pleasure and a privilege for me to be able to spend relaxed time with special friends. Not all of my friends live close and not all have the flexibility to get together as often as I'd like, but I've been grateful over the past two weeks, for the circle of friends who've had the time to visit and have brightened my days with laughter, encouragement and wisdom.

Friends are such an honest reflection of who we are. It's a lesson that I share often with our kids - who they choose as friends, says a lot about them and it's so important to choose honorable friends. It's also imperative, I tell them, to be a good friend to others. That's true of adults, too, and I'm extremely grateful for the special people in my life whom I call friends. I'm grateful for the valuable lessons that my friends teach me, for their companionship and their fellowship. Friends truly are the flowers in the garden of life! 

Although I'm still missing our four messy, loud, wild kids while they're in school during the day, I'm looking forward to connecting with dear friends in the coming weeks and months.

Call me, we'll do lunch!