Friendiversary!!

January 6th is a busy, happy day!  Not only is it the birthday of a certain special little boy (who might've gotten his own post a few minutes ago)...but this year it's also one year exactly from the first time that I hung out with a family that has very quickly become like my own.


In January 2011 I had been back in Georgia not quite a month when Violet and I had a conversation (over facebook) which ended with me being invited over for Dinner on Aaron's Birthday.  Pizza, cake, Despicable Me, some conversation, and a particularly embarrassing phone call from my Dad later...I think we were well on our way to being friends.  :)


I'm so grateful for the kindness and love that's been shown to me by all the members of the Barnes family (and their relatives)! They're truly some of the best people I know.  One of my favorite things about this situation is that I can call each member of this family "friend".  


It took longer for some than others to get on board with that relationship...

Yes, I'm looking at you with that one, Maecie.

I'm especially grateful for the friend that I've found in Violet.  I've been blessed in so many ways because of my association with her. 

I don't think I can really put into words just how much I admire, love and appreciate her.  She is, in so many ways exactly what I think a "best friend" should be.  She's kind and tender, but also strong and firm.  She helps guide me (mostly by her example) to be better than I am.  She's understanding and thoughtful.  She's trustworthy and loyal.  She is so many things that I want to be one day.  For now, I'll just have to settle for being around and learning from her.  It's so nice when you can recognize the Lord's hand in all the different areas of your life.  I was blessed more than I deserve when He saw fit to place her (and her family) in my life.

Date Night/Aaron's Birthday!

Back in the Fall, following Diane's lead, a specific effort was made to give Violet and Jordan a regularly scheduled Date Night.  And after a little protesting by Violet, it was determined this would be a weekly occurance.

So Friday night has arrived, but THIS date night is particularly special.  Not only is tonight Date Night...but it's also the 7th Birthday of the coolest little guy I know and my first friend in the Barnes Family.

That's right...Aaron Barnes is 7! Anyway, the big party is tomorrow but tonight we celebrated on a smaller scale with Pizza and baking a cake. Elena helped with the mixing of the cake batter and adding the sprinkles and candles. 

Of course we had to make a birthday cake!

Remember how I had this kid in my Sunbeam class when he was 4??

How's this for a resolution?

So, I had been thinking for a while about ways that I could motivate myself to be better at this whole "blogging" business.  I remember when I was in high school and I was AWESOME at keeping a journal.  I've had points where I've been good at it since then, but nothing long-term. Violet told me about this really cool thing where you can have your blog printed off and bound like a book.  It ends up looking like a journal and a scrapbook all in one! How awesome!

Now, I'm a bit of a nerd because I like handwritten things (letters, notes, journals, you get the idea), but I think I'm gonna start trying to sit down at least once a week and write on here!