Delightful Dinner Date with a Dear Friend

I love getting to just be with someone I enjoy and talking with them.  On Tuesday I had the pleasure of sharing a meal and conversation with my friend Lori.  We met at a favorite restaurant a little before 6:30 and did not look at the time again until it was 9 and they were beginning to clean up around us.  What a wonderful, joy-filled time it was!  She is one of my dearest friends despite the difficult time we often have connecting with our busy schedules.  It is always amazing to me how we can go weeks or months without talking, but as soon as we are together we pick right up where we left off and not just in surface level things...I'm talking real conversation about life and happenings, how we feel about what's coming, what God's been teaching us, etc.  What a joy and a blessing her friendship has been and continues to be!

Lori and I met as campers when we were probably going into 5th or 6th grade.  We then reunited as counselors at the same camp.  We worked there for three years together and have been good friends throughout the whole time.  Right now we are both in the process of planning our weddings and preparing to move out of our parents' homes again.  It was so nice to share thoughts and excitement over these coming transitions.  It is fun to think back to all of the conversations we have had in the past about this time in our lives and how we get to share in it together now.  Lori was going to be one of my guestbook attendants at our wedding, but she will be unable to be there because she is moving to Arizona in a few weeks and will be getting married the same day as Michael and I (great minds think alike!)  We so wish they could have been at our wedding, but with distance it wouldn't have been feasible and they need to do what works best for them and their families.  We are very happy to have them as wedding buddies!  

In closing, here are some of the things I love most about Lori:

• Her love for Jesus and strong convictions to honor Him with her life. 
• Her encouraging smile and joyful laugh.  
• Her genuine and open conversation.  
• Her friendly hugs.  
• How I feel like she really gets me/how we connect.  
• Her friendship and support.  

There are certainly other things I could add, but those stand out the most.  I thank the Lord for her often and am so very excited for she and her fiancé, Rupert.  He truly has struck gold with her.