barn house reunion 2014

for some background on where we've come from: check us out here
we've had more reunions than this...but i found these...2010 and 2012 (bailey and sawyer in the first pics in that one?? TOO much!)

these are the girls i lived with in college. we lived in a house that looked like a barn. there were 8 of us. (it's a little complicated. i TECHNICALLY never lived with ali and becca. but we feel like we did. and we are the "barn house girls.")

when we were in college and living together, our lives all looked very similar. as the years go on...and on...our lives are taking different turns and our hearts are growing different directions and learning different things. but the love and acceptance that we have for each other NEVER changes. it only deepens. these are precious, lifelong friendships that we all value greatly.

i didn't take my camera and only took a few pictures on my phone. i chose to head down to texas a couple days early to spend some one on one time with a few girls. it was a GREAT choice. definitely more of a sacrifice, on my part AND on those that had to take care of my life here, but it was WORTH it!
 
{lincoln left me a note for every day! SWEETEST! meant SO much to my heart!}

i left wednesday, got to chat with a dear lady for 4 hours (4 hours!) on my flight to Austin. and then got to spend a sweet evening with christy and her family. the next morning, i got to run all by myself for as long as i wanted...then did one of christy's crossfit classes (i loved it!)

{a room all to myself. it was such a beautiful space!}

 my view running...

THEN i headed into downtown austin to meet Colette. she used to live in Virginia and we became friends as young moms. we've stayed in touch and it was like NO time had passed (even though we hadn't seen each other in 6 years!) we ate lunch and then walked around Town Lake for 2 hours. we could have talked for MANY more hours, but our time was up. she encouraged my heart so much. friendships are SUCH a beautiful thing!

 i asked her to take a picture of me to send to pat :-)

then i went to Becca's house for that evening and night. and got to catch up one on one with another friend that i LOVE and spend a night in another beautiful space all to myself and got to run in the morning. i mean?!? so many sweet things! i was about to explode!!!

 AND...these are becca's sons!! kevin and greg (i was DETERMINED to be able to tell them apart...and finally got it!) they are almost 6 months old and spent the whole weekend with us. they were SO good and we all got plenty of time holding them!

 becca reading to them. she is the BEST mom.

the 6 of us!! mary and kathy couldn't join us this year. we did read an email update from kathy and we facetimed with mary.

 christy brought out a box of OLD pictures from college. that was entertaining for sure!

 facetiming with mary.

we spent most of our time around this table. talking, crying, laughing. we share EVERYTHING...the good, bad and the ugly. we pass kleenexes and chocolate and blankets when needed. we ask questions and just listen. i'm well aware that this gift is priceless and i hope that i treat it as such.

i wasn't really ready to go home. but my time was up. so i did.

got home to a sweet sign and brownies that said, "mom" in icing and the laundry done and a family that was SO excited to see me!

it was an amazing 5 days. i am so richly blessed.