B.F.F.

Three years ago next month we moved to NWA and bought our first home! I remember seeing this home on the internet and I truly felt as if God was telling me that we needed to buy that home. One night after Cory got off work we drove three hours to look at it and both decided it was the home for us! We returned the three hour trip that night to our duplex and made a crazy offer that the builder accepted. Our real estate agent told us it was one of the best deals she had ever seen. It was truly a gift from God. Little did we know how perfect this house would be for us. The perfection does not lie in the bricks and mortar but in the location and the friends he has given us in this neighborhood. In fact, the biggest blessing about our home is in our next door neighbors.

I remember one October Sunday afternoon Trey and Christina were leaving from spending the weekend visiting and going to a Razorback football game with us. We waved goodbye and came inside our home. We had only lived here about two months and the loneliness had begun to set in. I sat down in our living room and through my tears told Cory how I missed our old friends and I was ready to make new friends and find our own community here. After an hour long conversation (or more with my reputation of chatting) we decided to go for a drive. We walked out to our car and there we met Justin and Erin, our neighbors! Our paths had not crossed in the two months that we had lived there thus far. We struck up a conversation and discovered that Erin and I work for the same school district and Justin is on staff at the church we had been visiting. From that point forward we were fast friends! We enjoyed game nights at each other's houses, an occasional movie and frequent dinners at our favorite local Mexican restaurant!


Little did we know that soon Erin and I would both become pregnant and both due in September 2009 just days apart. I miscarried at 6 weeks and Erin miscarried at 12 weeks. I cherished her friendship during this season of life. Its not often you know of a friend going through a miscarriage at the same time who lives next door! Soon after this Erin became pregnant with Will and was due in January and I became pregnant with Lincoln due in February! It was so fun having a friend pregnant the same time as you! We would go on walks and talk about our sickness, swollen feet or cravings. In fact, Erin was the first person that I told when I found out I was pregnant.


On December 17th , Erin was rushed in for an emergency c-section due to her blood pressure being high! I'll never forget Will's birthday because it was my grandmother's birthday and the anniversary of mine and Cory's engagement! When Lincoln was born Erin arrived at the hospital with a basket of snacks and goodies that was much needed after 16 hours of labor! She also arranged for dinners to be brought to our house by our friends. I could go on forever. What a sweet friend she has been to me, Justin has been to Cory and they have been to us as a couple!

Last week we went to their house for dinner. Both boys were awake and it was the first time (sadly) that we got their picture taken together! Will and Lincoln are exactly 8 weeks apart!

The boys checking each other out.

Sweet boys.

Lincoln grabbing Will's bib.

Will trying to eat Lincoln's bib.

Looks like a cheesy Olan Mills pose. Ha!

It's likely we won't always be neighbors but I truly hope we are friends for a lifetime!