my dear friend.

On the way home.

Before getting in the car everyone was happy...an hour down the road the crying began :) 

It was so humid that the OUTSIDE of our windows were fogged up with the air conditioning on inside.  I've never seen humidity like that before!  The drive to Steinbach was filled with the most amazing lightning show I've ever seen during daylight hours.

Cat nap on the way home.

Turned into a lovely day.

Wednesday we had a very good visit with friends who are close enough to have lunch with, after being in Bolivia for three years!  Oh my dear friend, Kathy.  Knowing you are just a short drive away is a balm to my soul. 

In my life I've met a few people that I wanted to TRY to be friends with.  I've met even fewer people with whom friendship develops naturally.  I've met even fewer people who seem to me to have been cut from the same mold as I, and like magnets we are pulled together.  I'm the most blessed person in the world to have met THREE women who were my kindred spirits. 

Kathy you are my kindred spirit.  I never have to try to be your friend, because our friendship seems as natural as the nose on my face.  When we go long periods of time without seeing one another it is like no time has passed.  There is often silence between us that is filled with meaning, but mostly when we are together it is hard to shut us up.  How I admire you and love you!

When you were in Bolivia my heart ached after each phone conversation because it was like when you catch a whiff of BBQ smoke on the breeze but know that at your house all that's for dinner is cold leftovers.  I wanted BBQ dammit (how ungraceful of me, I know)!  But I was glad you were in Bolivia, following God's direction for your life and the life of your family.  I prayed for you to learn and grow, and be spared sickness and loneliness and exhaustion.  I prayed for the baby in your belly and rejoiced because I know no parents more worthy of the blessing, more prepared for the challenge, more graceful in the craziness of raising children than you and Carl.  I prayed for you and your family to be healthy, happy and blessed.  And I prayed, selfishly? that you would be happy to come home to Manitoba.  And here you are.  I'm  happy.  So so very happy to have you here. 

The highway between here and Steinbach is going to get tired of seeing me, because I won't ever be tired of seeing you.