old friends from afar.

We have had friends from afar visiting us this week and it has been a whirlwind.  I cannot explain how perfectly God's timing is in our life. 

 I have prayed for Jim and Tiffany (who blogs at www.amomentcherished.blogspot.com) for years as they have fell in love with the country of Ethiopia and brought home two of their children from their beloved country.  Tiffany and I have had countless conversations about life, disease, therapy, adoption and everything in between.  And this week, we met for the first time in person.

Face to Face.

 This is Jamesy.  I prayed for him for so long and this week I got to kiss his cheeks and sing him songs.  He clapped in response and my heart literally melted on the floor.

 He stole my heart, much like he stole his mama's a few years back.  

She knew he was her son.

 After last week's news of Mabel's diagnosis, knowing that Jim and Tiff were coming was great motivation to get up, clean my house, and just keep plugging along.

And that I did.

 I enjoyed every minute that they were in our home.  We got to spend 2 nights together and one full day, yet it felt like we had all been together forever.  

Our friendship is all God.  

Easy, natural, powerful.

 Here is Jamesy with his big brother, Habi.

When Jim and Tiffany visited Ethiopia a couple years back they fell in love with a teenage street boy.  He looked at Tiffany and called her mommy.

And the rest is beautiful history.  

 Please, please, please head over to Tiff's blog and read of their journey to bring Habi home.  They trusted God, prayed ferociously, and rallied around this boy.

God handled the rest and here he is.

 Nora so enjoyed her time with Cadi.  Their sweet spirits meshed so well and I do believe they are now best friends.  They have big plans to skype soon.

 Braden was a hilarious influence on Scotty, who is a year younger than my wild boy.  They were super heroes and snacking fools while they were here.
Scotty's voice is the sweetest thing I have ever heard.  I just fell in love with him.

 For the few days that they visited, I was able to put aside my worries and focus on the moment.  I enjoyed Cadi's smile, Scotty's pajamas, Habi's sense of humor, and Jamesy's everything.

I know God planned this perfectly for me.

 The boys were particularly enthralled with Mabel and she was pretty fond of them as well.

 Daniel's heart was changed forever by having this family in our home.  He and Jim spoke for hours about Africa and the injustice that is happening.  As I spoke to Daniel later that night I was quick to mention how many similarities there are between us.

I feel like there is injustice around rare disease.

No funding, little research, dying children.

Jim and Tiff see the injustice in another country.

Too many orphans.  Too little food.  Not enough families willing to go, sacrifice, and be radically changed.

 But I can say with certainty that the change that happens is radical and beautiful and perfected.  

God longs for us to be stretched and challenged and I was long ago by Tiff's journey.

Daniel needed to see it face to face to understand that we are all called.
We should all be willing.

 There are just those friends in life that you know were given to you as a gift.  Tiffany is one of those friends to me.  She is a gift and our hearts are connected in such a unique way.  Every minute that we were together felt easy and enjoyable.  I know this friend of mine has prayed me through many hard days and I hope that she knows I have done the same thing for her.  She is a true gem to me and I am so blessed that we got to share these days together.  

I love you Tiff.  Can't believe you were in my house:)

 ***

And then, after their family left, the Heaven's opened and we got rain!

 Not much.  Not nearly enough.  But some.  

And some is always better than none.

 The cool breeze ushered in a sense of relief.  I felt a gentle knowing that my Savior was near and that He heard me.  He always hears me.

 ***

Last night we enjoyed the company of our good friends from North Carolina, Lucy and Eli and their daughter (my good friend) Jessy and her husband Ryan.  

They have two little girls and a boy on the way.  

Seeing them was refreshing and soothing for me.

 Old friends are special.  They are seasoned into your life and they have a sense of knowing.  I know that Lucy loves me like her own daughter and she quite truly is like a second mom to me.  She knows my heart and my hurt and loves me bravely through it all.  She is a wise, strong, powerful woman of God and I am blessed that in this week she visited me and held my girl.

 I was desperately longing for the familiar feel of friends this week.  My house was filled to the brim with people who love and care about us so deeply that there are no words.  It was an easy flow of comfort and I am so beyond thankful.

***

Tonight Nora is having her very first sleepover.  She turns 6 in 3 days and I'm in denial.

***

Today on a walk with Mabel a teenage boy yelled out of the passenger side window of a yellow car, "You make sick babies!"

I wanted to die.

People are so cruel and hurtful.

***

I am tired.  I finally ate today.  I am sad.  I am strong.  I am ok.

Learning to be ok and thankful for friendships that are devoted to keeping me that way.

♥