My Friend's Visit

Sorry about my absence from the blog, but I had a friend here. I think I posted about her coming. We had not seen each other in 34 years. I was 17 years old the last time we saw each other.

This week was truly an awesome gift from God to me. Karen and I are really kindred spirits. We look NOTHING alike and never did. However, way back when we spent the summer of 1976 together working at a Christian conference center, we became twins. :) I had a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and she loved it. I got her one. Whenever we were out and both had on our sweatshirts, she would tell people that we were twins and that she knew that they would have trouble telling us apart. So, she would point to 2 moles on her chin and say just remember... Karen Moles and Marci Minus (minus the moles). Our nicknames became Moles and Minus. People would look at us as if we were from another planet. That was a big part of the fun. It made us laugh. During the visit, I can not tell you how many times one of us would share something and the other one would say, "ME TOO!!!!!" Even Michael kept saying, "WOW, you two really are alike!!!"

We laughed, we talked, we cried, we walked, we shared hearts and caught up on 34 years worth of life. We explored the countryside and the covered bridges (we took Brittany with us that day). She loved seeing all the Amish in the area. We went to Lehman's one day. We ate pumpkin bread and apples with caramel. We shared hugs and heart aches. We told all about our children and their lives. She got to meet Joshua and Brittany.

We all went out to dinner at this place by a river. It was a great place to take pictures. Joshua and Brittany were with us. We took some pictures of them and they took some pictures of Michael and I. Then Karen and I went down to get our picture taken. I gave my camera to Joshua and Brittany had theirs. I told Joshua to make me look skinny. He said he kept trying to find that setting, but was having a hard time. Well, Karen and I got the giggles. We laughed so hard, that we could not breath. We both had tears running down our faces. We were doubled over and leaning on one another. What we did not know was that Josh & Britt were snapping pictures through the whole thing. Then as Brittany was showing us her pictures of us and we were cracking up, they took a picture of that. :)

The week went by WAY TOO FAST!!! We sat in the parking garage at the airport and said our last minute things in private. We cried and promised that we would not wait that long again to get together. I am trying to have a good attitude today and be grateful for the visit. I am grateful, but the missing is really powerful today. She filled my days with joy while she was here and I truly miss that.