Remember this event?
Andrea returned to our area with her family, to visit family, and we found the perfect afternoon to share an iced drink at a local coffee shop and catch up in person.
Another gift.
And so I did school work with the children that day, feeling the usual anxiety mingled with excitement; you know how I am, making a list of Things To Say When There is a Lull and You are Tempted to Start Blathering Like an Idiot. (Oh, did you not know that's how I am? Well. Now you do.)
And of course I needn't have been anxious, because she spotted me perched on a high chair next to the window and waved, her beautiful smile cutting through the heat rising in waves from the pavement across the parking lot, and I hopped down to hug and be hugged by my kindred spirit.
We sipped our iced chai and strawberry smoothie and eased effortlessly into conversation, almost as if picking up where we left off last time; with wifing and teaching and mothering and pregnancy and struggle and revelation, and there were tears of gratitude as we shared how very much we mean to each other.
(And books. Need a good biography or piece of historical fiction? Join the Andrea and Elise Book Club! Honestly, we practically buried each other with book suggestions, both of us scribbling on paper each other's favorites. I now have Son of Hamas
(her recommendation) at my bedside, along with J.M. Barrie's biography
and a memoir of her mother
by Reeve Lindbergh (excellent fillers while I wait for my Jackie Kennedy
biography to come in at the library!). I can't wait to hear how she enjoys some of my favorites - Same Kind of Different as Me
, Jimmy Stewart's story
, and perhaps a Thoene
book or two, with some Mitford
for good measure. Ah, a bosom friend and books. Life is sweet.)
If you've read Andrea at all, you know what a careful and wise mama she is, how very much she seeks her God in all things, and listens for His voice. She spends time caring for her family of five children, loving her husband, living her wonderful life, and then when she writes, well, we pay attention.
I love that. I love her.
We are encouraged in fellowship, yes? There's just something so magical- no, spiritual- about a meeting of mamas, face to face, sharing. Our expressions are dead giveaways for struggles, our tone of voice more meaningful than email. It is good to look into each other's eyes once in a while. (Andrea's photographs do not do her justice- and she looks beautiful in them! But in person... well, you really should meet her. I mean it. I've got her beauty tips next to my Bible! Just kidding. Kind of.)
And the miles stretched unfathomably far, and I didn't want to leave but she needed to tend to her baby, so we hugged and hugged again. And it was time to go.
Until next time, my beautiful kindred sister.
(Maybe I won't even need to make a list by then...)
Babies. Only seven children between the two of us.
Now there are nine!
Andrea returned to our area with her family, to visit family, and we found the perfect afternoon to share an iced drink at a local coffee shop and catch up in person.
Another gift.
And so I did school work with the children that day, feeling the usual anxiety mingled with excitement; you know how I am, making a list of Things To Say When There is a Lull and You are Tempted to Start Blathering Like an Idiot. (Oh, did you not know that's how I am? Well. Now you do.)
And of course I needn't have been anxious, because she spotted me perched on a high chair next to the window and waved, her beautiful smile cutting through the heat rising in waves from the pavement across the parking lot, and I hopped down to hug and be hugged by my kindred spirit.
We sipped our iced chai and strawberry smoothie and eased effortlessly into conversation, almost as if picking up where we left off last time; with wifing and teaching and mothering and pregnancy and struggle and revelation, and there were tears of gratitude as we shared how very much we mean to each other.
(And books. Need a good biography or piece of historical fiction? Join the Andrea and Elise Book Club! Honestly, we practically buried each other with book suggestions, both of us scribbling on paper each other's favorites. I now have Son of Hamas
(her recommendation) at my bedside, along with J.M. Barrie's biography and a memoir of her mother by Reeve Lindbergh (excellent fillers while I wait for my Jackie Kennedy biography to come in at the library!). I can't wait to hear how she enjoys some of my favorites - Same Kind of Different as Me, Jimmy Stewart's story, and perhaps a Thoene book or two, with some Mitford for good measure. Ah, a bosom friend and books. Life is sweet.)If you've read Andrea at all, you know what a careful and wise mama she is, how very much she seeks her God in all things, and listens for His voice. She spends time caring for her family of five children, loving her husband, living her wonderful life, and then when she writes, well, we pay attention.
I love that. I love her.
We are encouraged in fellowship, yes? There's just something so magical- no, spiritual- about a meeting of mamas, face to face, sharing. Our expressions are dead giveaways for struggles, our tone of voice more meaningful than email. It is good to look into each other's eyes once in a while. (Andrea's photographs do not do her justice- and she looks beautiful in them! But in person... well, you really should meet her. I mean it. I've got her beauty tips next to my Bible! Just kidding. Kind of.)
And the miles stretched unfathomably far, and I didn't want to leave but she needed to tend to her baby, so we hugged and hugged again. And it was time to go.
Until next time, my beautiful kindred sister.
(Maybe I won't even need to make a list by then...)
11 fellow travelers shared:
What a wondeful opportunity to visit! Refreshes the heart and spirit, doesn't it? I second the recommendation for the book by Reeve Lindbergh. It was an excellent read (though also sad when realizing how lost the author is!).
A whole post for me? Written by "THE Elise"???!!!
i'm honored.
and i'm crying. =) good tears.
you know i love you!
I look so tired in that photo! ugh. you look radiant as usual.
Words can't even say what a gift you are. Your words came pretty close.
Oh, what a blessing for the two of you! I'm so happy for both of you!
(((Hugs)))
And you are both beautiful. Truly.
I have grown so fond of both of you. How lovely to be able to meet face to face and hug to hug. There really is no substitute for that.
Yesterday I had lunch with five dear women who have become like sisters to me. We took up restaurant space for three hours - just sharing our hearts. It is so refreshing.
And I second what Stacy said - You are both beautiful - inside and out!
I LOVE THIS POST!!!
elise, you have captured it - the refreshment, connection, joy, release, excitement and contentment - found with a dear sister friend. i am so thankful that our Father gave us the gift of this type of relationship!
i have some dear friends like that; one that just moved and we are SO missing our starbucks times. ahhh.
you are both just my *favorite* bloggers ... i feel just a taste of that same girlfriend-refreshment, after reading what you write.
thank you!!!
Elise - what a sweet moment you captured with one of my dearest friends. I loved how you said mother's expresssions are dead giveaways...SO TRUE. Thanks for showing us all how Christ gives Christian communtity to us as a privelage, a joy, an honor, a heaping gulp of nourishment for our soul. Ahhhh.
"making a list of Things To Say When There is a Lull and You are Tempted to Start Blathering Like an Idiot"
Gonna remember this one... It is wonderful, meeting people we already love, isn't it?
What is wifing?
anonymous~
hmmmm. i feel like perhaps i've heard the term "wifing" somewhere before, but in the off chance i made it up, i use it as "wife-ing", being a wife, helpmeet, best friend... i suppose it makes those terms fit with the "ing"! :)
good question!
hopefully the rest of my readers understood... if not, then i may need to define it in a post someday!
thank you for asking!
Just wanted to say, I don't think you need to take beauty tips from anyone! Your pictures are very beautiful!
Ah --Elise AND Andrea in the same space! I can feel the excitement and the connecting and I can hear the laughter... and feel the squeeze of the hand across the table.
Thank you-- for inviting us too.
For you both sharing your lives with us.
For the sisterhood.
You are both soul beautiful.... the realest and most glowing kind -- with a Jesus radiance.
Won't our heaven reunion be grandest?
So much love to you both...
All's grace,
Ann
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