There has been a lot on my mind for quite some time. I have been busy fighting my monsters, and I have the best teammates a girl could ask for :) God has defeated my enemies, except only the little ones in my own little head. I finally put aside my pride and trusted God and passed my practical Cosmetology exam!! Now I just have the written left...hopefully to be completed before this little bean graces us with his presence :P Michael and I celebrated our one year anniversary! My wonderful husband arranged a VERY relaxing weekend away- the only "away" I can do in my present state...to Denver! We spent the weekend working on our communication and our relationship, evaluating what worked and what didn't, what we can work on, and what we did well! Mostly, it was nice to just get away and agree not to talk about babies or weddings or work or family or friends. Mental "us" time, and it was perfect! You see, my big brother is getting married in less than 2 weeks! He and his fiancee lived with us for almost 2 months, and as great as it was having them here and getting to know them in a totally different way, it is nice to not have to hear about weddings every night :P David asked me almost every day, "Why do girls think the world starts and ends with weddings...why is it such a big deal?!" I kept telling him it doesn't have to be. He said I'm the only girl in the world who thinks that way. So please, women of the world, keep your hearts set on what God wants for your life, not what YOU want for your life, and dangnabbit please focus on the marriage, not just the wedding :)
But that brings me to my next portion of blogging... This weekend we had a birthday party for my sweet hubby and his new brother-in-law :) All our friends were invited, which was awesome because David has adopted them as his friends as well! We have some really great friends- some we don't see very often, but they show up just when we ask them to :) Some we see all the time, but don't show up when we ask. Some we see a few times a year, but are a top priority when it is possible. Some we keep in touch with over the phone, but see in person maybe every 3 or 4 years. All kinds of friends. And then it hits us... we are supposed to make new friends. We are called to live in community with one another, and it really does take a village to raise a marriage, let alone a child! So the question we've been pondering...how exactly DOES one go about making true and lasting friendships in this day and age? Michael went to school in the same place his whole life, and pretty much had the same group of friends. I always kind of adopted friends doing whatever I was doing (sports, choir, clubs, etc). But when it comes down to it...how do you MAKE friends? And then begs the question...how do you make family?
We have been very blessed over the past 3 years of our dating relationship (celebrating 3 years Dec 1 ;) to be able to get to know our wonderful in-laws. Michael and I are finally at a place where we feel like we are part of each other's extended family. I love having weekly chats with the elder Hankins, and even hang out and talk with them when Michael is not around :X My dad is already plotting to steal Michael away while we are in California, and Gramsie is excited to hang out with him while I am busy with bridesmaid shenanigans. He and David hang out all the time, going on disc golf outings or just to grab a bite to eat, or sometimes I find them just sitting and chatting for hours :) Melts my heart! So...how did that happen?! And with this wedding comes a new sister-in-law... how do two women REALLY become sisters, to which it feels like sisters? My sister-in-law I was blessed enough to inherit last October will be moving back to the States next month... how do we make it feel like we are sisters as well? I've never had a sister. I have a brother, and his friends, and Michael, and his friends. I have close friends that feel like sisters, but most of them have been friends with me for a long, long time. What, exactly, is sisterhood anyway? Is it that feeling you get when you have someone you're related to, but you don't have to hang out? Is it that camraderie and feeling of sameness you get with some people? Is it those girls with whom you bicker and nag and love each other anyway? Is it the girlfriends that will come over and start cooking in your kitchen like they own it? The Bible is chalked full of brotherhood and family ties by birth...but what about the womenfolk? And even yet, what does that look like when both women are working and running their own households from a distance? How do they share parents when they are both visiting? How do they interact when they are both living the life they never thought they wanted? And for once, I'm okay not knowing these answers. I focus on serving and loving others, including family and friends, and those that we hope become family and friends someday. I focus on Jesus, and the rest seems to fall into place... :)
