Find a Mrs. Janice

Find a Mrs. Janice

We knew we could never do this parenting thing alone. 

We weren’t even home from the hospital with her and the people we did life with had already decorated our house. That doesn’t even take into consideration the family and friends who rallied around us, helped us complete paperwork, donated garage sale items, and wrapped around us as we journeyed through adoption to bring her home. The hundreds of strangers who bought a piece of jewelry from my shop or the random checks or cash we would find in our mailbox as we waited for her. 

I’m so thankful we’ve never had to do life without community. I can’t imagine what it would look like. I’m just pretty certain it’s something I would never want to do. It’s a risk, letting people in, it is. Opening your front door with dirty dishes still in the sink and sticky kitchen floors, it can be a little nerve wracking. But opening your heart up, letting them walk through that kind of mess is much scarier. But, oh the beauty we’ve found in community over the years. It’s been so worth the risk.

The Treasure of a Tribe

The Treasure of a Tribe

I have a lot of best friends.

 

People make fun of me in conversations because I always mention a best friend. I heard someone speaking years ago about using the words “best friend” with great sensitivity. Because if you have a “best friend” then that means that spot is taken. I get that. I’ve been on the other side and felt the sting of being only a friend. But that’s not the case for me, I have best friends. A lot more than one.

 

I have friends who I love to see every once in awhile. But then my best friends, they are the ones that call and text every week. The ones we schedule dinners weeks out in advance because their lives are important to me. Their friendship is precious. They have walked through hard things with me, and I with them.