Strawberries and friendship

Something I have learned about my adult self is that friendship doesn't really come easy to me.  I really prefer to know people deeply in relationships, but frequently I'm insecure and feel overwhelmed by people, and sometimes have trouble allowing people to truly know me. #introvert Or, sometimes, others don't let their guard down and allow themselves to be truly known.  So, when I find someone who lets me into their life, and wants to get messy in mine, I know I've found a treasure of a person.

About a year ago at our new church, I met a handful of these person-treasures!  What a joy.  I started hanging out with a few new mom friends, and the Lord has so blessed these new relationships.  We spend Thursday mornings together (most weeks) and all have kids around the same age (kindergarten and under).  Our kids play, we share picnic lunches, we share life and all go home worn out just in time for rest times.  Just in this past year, together we have walked through marriage difficulties, difficult seasons of behavior/discipline and parenting woes, 3 newborn babes (!), miscarriage, hard things at work, illness and other anxieties.  And we have had immense times of joy and fun!  I'm so grateful for these friends.

Here are some photos from our adventure this morning (not everyone was able to join us this week, but this is most of our group!)