A Tribute to Our Dear Friends...

Lisa, Danny, Mary and Luke Pierce.

In just five days they will leave to take a very long trip across the world to their new home in southeast Asia.

I always knew this day would come.  Lisa has wanted to live overseas and lay her life down for the Lord for as long as I've known her.

And now it's happening.  I can't believe it.

We've already said goodbye (twice actually).  They were supposed to have left before Lacey's wedding, but due to visa issues, they were delayed.  Not ideal for them, but a real treat for us!

We have walked through a lot together.  We've been friends for over 12 years.  And for most of those years we've lived in the same town, sharing the same community/group of friends.  We've both gone from single to married to married with kids! All the while living day to day life together.

I will (already do) miss her terribly.  She is such a loyal friend.  The kind that knows you well and all your faults and loves you anyway.  The kind that will do anything for you...at any time, at any cost.  The kind that is quick to repent and quick to forgive.  The kind that I have cried with and laughed with hundreds of times.

So the "day to day life" has come to an end.  Of course our friendship will continue it will just have to look different for this next season.

But--we did have one treasure of a day (weekend, well, week!) with all the kids playing together.  Here are our pics from our time with the Pierces in Boston.

They all really play so well together.

Mary (Lisa's oldest is 3 mo older than Gracie).

Fourth of July fun with Beth's water bottle.

Having a blast on the piano...they were too cute to be annoyed by all the noise!

We'll show this pic to them when we are making them practice piano in a few years
and remind them that they love it!  This really does totally capture the scene.
You would have thought it was Christmas.

 Well supervised sparklers to celebrate the 4th.

Sweet Mary.

Catching up on a little Consumer Reports with Mike.

(I think E is trying to get Mary to take it a little more seriously)

I love this one.  So pictures the kind of mom Lisa is...she's SO good
at sitting down with her kids (and mine) and playing/reading/spending
time with them.

And the babies.  Luke is almost exactly one month older than Emily.

Luke: 21 lbs. Emily: 13 lbs.

I had to make this one big...look at Luke's face!!  Mischief in those eyes!!

We love you, friends.  You'll be missed.  But we'll see you soon(ish).

(more fun pics of the kids on lisa's blog)