Old Friends & New Additions ...

On Saturday, we had a reunion of sorts with a dear friend. Christy (Phelps) Bentley and Carrie (Henry) Kennedy were 2 of my 3 bridesmaids when Tim and I were married 5 years ago. Christy, we get to see all the time. Carrie and her husband, Nole, moved to Bend, Oregon several years back. As much as we miss them here, they love being in the Northwest. It sounds like a really great fit for them so for that we are happy.

Carrie was my first Christian roommate, other than Heather. I love how the Lord connected us - a few months after becoming a believer in the winter of 1999, I moved to Lake Tahoe for the summer. Prior to returning to college at NAU, where I knew practically no one that was living for the Lord, I began to pray for a Christian roommate. The Lord sent Carrie. We barely knew each other when we moved in together, and, honestly, we could not have been more different. It worked, though, the Lord was really in it. Carrie has been such an encouragement to me over the years, she has such a gifting in this. She is a steadfast friend - no matter how far the distance we live apart physically.

Christy was my first Christian friend in Flagstaff - period. My only source of Godly mentorship in Flagstaff for those first critical, lonely, yet exciting months in the Lord. This was prior to the summer in Tahoe. After we all graduated from NAU, we moved down to Phoenix. Carrie and Christy were introduced and moved in together ... funny how the Lord knits people and connects lives.

Since those days of single-hood, we have all married and been bridesmaids at each other's weddings. More recently, we have all become mommies to beautiful boys. I haven't seen Carrie since she was pregnant and have been dying to meet Cash. Lucky for me, they had a family wedding they had to come back to Arizona for and were able to make time for our little reunion. It was so great to get to visit and re-connect and meet little Cash Kennedy for the first time. Isn't he delicious?? I love his DARK brown eyes and chubby arms and legs - such a little hunk of love!





















Carrie & Christy with Baby Judah (love those eyebrows)...





















Me and my two boys with baby Cash (7 months) ...





















The Kennedy fam ... Carrie & Nole & Baby Cash ...



































Will making himself comfortable next to Aunt Christy as she fed baby Judah.

Poor Judah was so distracted by my boys while he was trying to eat. Jared & Will LOVED the babies. Well ... maybe a little too much love from Will. We caught him sitting on Cash's back at least once ... sort of like a cowboy sits on a horse - not good. ;-)

It was such a wonderful few hours to catch up. I sincerely hope we get to do it again before another 2 years go by. Even if we don't see each other everyday, blogging has the next best thing as we all try to keep updated on our own personal family records. Even though this was the first time I met Cash, I felt like I already knew him through his pictures and stories told by his Mommy & Daddy on the blog.

What did we ever do before the internet?