Friends are wonderful . . .

The last couple of years we have gone through and are going through some sore trials- - mostly with Jon's career path - - but also with some other small things. I have realized that the Lord sends us people to enrich our lives and help us have happy times, even during our difficult ones. Family and friends are truly the meat of it - - without those loved ones, I don't think we would have survived, or would be surviving now. I feel like we have so many people rallying behind us, a whole army of people praying for us - - and what an amazing blessing it is to feel loved like that.

I think back to Jon's last year of medical school, when he was doing his clinical rotations and we lived in Sunnyside. From a worldy stanpoint, we should have been miserable. We lived in a tiny run down apartment, surrounded by poverty, had very little money and drove junker cars. Jon had to be away for some of his rotations in Spokane- so I was on my own several scattered months over that last year. But looking back, that was one of the happiest years of my life. Jon was nearing graduation, and finished his requirements by the end of March, so we had some wonderful family time leading up to graduation. We were looking forward to that exciting time of graduation, with the bright future Jon had as he moved on with his career. Most of all, I think that year was wonderful because of my Sunnyside friends. I truly feel that is what Zion is supposed to be like. We felt such love and companionship for each other and truly did our best to bear each other's burdens. I have good friends now, but I truly miss my group of friends that year in Sunnyside. I will always be grateful to the Lord for letting these amazing women be a part of my life, even if it was just for a short period of time.

One of these friends, Brooke, is like a sister to me. She moved to California when we moved the Yakima. Luckily, one of my friends here in Yakima (who also was in Sunnyside for a while that last year we were there) is her sister-in-law- - even more a reason for them to visit this area often. Brooke's boys were really the first true friends Marcus had- he still talks about them as his best friends.

Brooke and her family came for a visit in early April!

Me, Brooke and Bev - - it's wonderful to have good friends!


Each family group has 4 kids - - twelve in all - - makes for a lively time when we are all together!


Marcus with his best friends Cameron and Devon:


Girls night out with most of my Sunnyside friends!