This morning when my alarm woke me at 5 am, I was shocked to hear the sound of rain pounding down upon the roof above me.  Wonderful precious rain, finally.  So instead of leaping immediately out of bed to start my day, I decided to lie there a bit longer, thanking God for this storm that He has brought us.  From this place of gratitude, my mind began to wander to the fabulous weekend my family and I just shared with a wonderful group of friends.

It is amazing to me how strange, small circumstances, brought us all together nearly 13 years ago.   And those seemingly meaningless situations have carried us to this point of true friendship.  These women are people I have worked with, learned with, and lived with.  I have shared my passions and fears with them.  So many times we place so much emphasis on our family, those people that are related to us biologically through the blood we share.  But the bonds of friendship can be just as strong as those familial ties, and that line then blurs between family and friend.

We have now added so many beautiful children to the mix, and it is always amazing to me that at these gatherings, despite the fact that many of them have not seen each other in over a year, they seem to have a shared bond.  It is a miracle to watch these tiny people, mold lifelong friendships through their play.  Their reckless abandon and ease in which they interact with one another is breathtaking.  There is no awkward point where they are shy or uncomfortable, like so many adults often are upon first meeting or after not seeing someone for an extended period of time.  Instead, they fall instantly in step with one another as if this is something they do each and every day.

True friendship is so difficult to come upon, and this weekend brought this concept back into the light for me.  I am so very thankful for these women, their husbands, and their babies.  Our family.