These are the days.

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The days and moments that you wish you could stay in forever….when sun kissed skin, laughs with your soul-sister and the beauty of Lake Tahoe overwhelm your soul.

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Let me introduce you…this is Jenny. In our friendship, she describes her role as providing comic relief! But, oh how she does so much more than just make me laugh and embrace the act of being silly.

A friendship that started when we were little…when I saw her more as a mentor and the ‘pretty blonde girl’ at church….years have past, and yet I still see her as my mentor…’the pretty blonde girl’ who loves Jesus with her whole heart…who inspires adventure and creativity in every space of life…and who loves to talk theology and ponder the world around her.

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This weekend adventure to Lake Tahoe was one for the books! Cozy morning sunrises on the deck with coffee and breakfast in hand, long talks about life and the wonder within, worship music, and brave souls mingling together, trying to embrace each moment before life changes….before the miles between us grow…and before we each embrace a new adventure in life.

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Cozy cabin mornings turned into spontaneous decisions to go parasailing. Girl, adventures with you are the best!

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Remember that time we almost died because the captain dunked us in the water….he promised it would just be our feet…well, that was a lie!

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And the next day…when we almost died on a 9 MILE paddle boarding adventure on a windy day on Lake Tahoe….I’m pretty sure I went from beginner level paddle boarding to advanced level in a matter of hours.

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Our muscles were beyond tired…yet our smiles had not faded…it was a test of endurance…that’s the thing about our friendship, we embrace adventure and spontaneity, but forget that however far we paddle out, we must return at some point and travel the distance back. But we survived…and we will continue to survive and thrive.

Because when God connects your hearts as sisters in Christ, no one thing can separate you…no distance, no test of endurance, no hardship.

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We will always celebrate with ice cream…

And our love for all things involving horticulture…

And long walks and talks on the pier…

And the pure beauty and bliss of quiet moments overlooking our reflections in the water with the SON shining down us!

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Thanks for all the adventures, girl! Here’s to the future of extending our adventure boundaries…becoming adults and future nurses together…embracing the silliness of our inner child…and lovin’ Jesus all along the way!

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It’s the collateral beauty…the grace and love of Jesus, that’s brought us together and connected our hearts in friendship…when the world around us has been hard and suffering and pain have been a part of our stories…it’s this collateral beauty that’s made our friendship even sweeter.