Sweet friends: the moments in between

This past week my family and I were able to go on a mini vacation down to southern California. We stayed at the Hilton Waterfront at Huntington Beach Resort and loved it!

A sunset has this way of taking you to a different world. (Hawaii, maybe?) The colors of the sky are vibrant and saturated, while everything in front forms a dark silhouette. Inspiration in nature is simply beautiful.

I also had the chance to see two of my friends who I met up in Washington for college. Reconnecting with best friends is always special. It's funny how when you live with someone for a year, they inevitably become your best friends, but also become your family (especially when your real family is two states away). Both these girls are like sisters to me. Maybe it's because we went to dinner together, had sleepovers even when we lived down the hall from each other, borrowed clothes on a daily basis, laughed, cried and experienced everything in between. Those "in between" moments are what made us so close. Moments like blasting music when you should be doing homework, spur of the moment trips down town to get our tomato soup from the Nordstrom cafe, rushing to go pick up the Tim McGraw/Lady Antebellum tickets we ordered on Craigslist (the day before the concert), being completely covered in mud while walking through a corn maze (did I mention it rains in Seattle??), spontaneous decision to go catch the Mariner's game, or just hearing the simple "goodnight, love you!" after an all-nighter. Those are the moments I remember, and those are the moments that stole my heart.

Leta is beautiful and compassionate. Her heart is gentle and longs to serve others. She's going to be an occupational therapist and I know her patients will say the same about her the minute they hear her voice. Living with her last year was one of the biggest blessings in my life thus far.

Kendra is stunning and kind hearted. She has a way of always making me laugh. We share an unbreakable bond through the love of shopping and she has real talent in photography. Seriously, be looking for her work out there soon! We're getting an apartment together this year and I couldn't be more excited.

I'm so grateful for good friends who become the sisters I've never had, and even more thankful to the One who put them in my life.

Now, I vow to myself and to these girls: I will always make an effort to keep our friendships going; the laughter, the tears, and everything in between.

Love and the moments in between,

Michaela