my best friend is getting married.

In honor of my best friend, Casey, getting married, I thought I would put up some embarrassing, hilarious pictures from our friendship.

I started writing a sentimental journey of our friendship, but thought I should save that for the wedding.  :)

Anyone who knows me, knows Casey.  She and I have been best friends since freshman year of high school, when she told me she liked my ribbon I was wearing... in my hair.  (I carried the trend from middle school.. what then)  Ten years later, we are still besties.  Our deep friendship has been such a sweet blessing from God!

Many of these pictures are the edited version, for we too are broken and have some interesting things from our past.  However, God has brought us tons of healing and taught us so much along the way.  One is that I used too much eyeliner (which Casey first introduced me to, along with the hair straightner).  

Not long after our friendship began.. Freshman year Homecoming

Freshman year of college

At da club

First week after our senior year of high school

Greenville Christmas parade.. this really happened

wal-mart.  really?

oh i love this picture!

and we entered a hard core outdoorsy phase in college.  and man, were we ever.

too cool for you.

The Lord has blessed us immensely through our friendship and I am deeply thankful that she is my sister through Jesus.  

I love that she is getting married!!  Marriage is soo good and I love that God uses it in the broken world to display His love and goodness.

What a beautiful picture:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.  ... 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.'  This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church."
Ephesians 5:25-32

I love this also, as we are apart of God's bride, the church.
"As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."
Isaiah 64:5

Did I mention she is marrying one of the coolest guys ever?!  :)

Love you Casey and Chris!  So excited for ya'll!

Lylas.

Sister! Sister!

This past Friday I had a wonderful surprise!  My sweet sister flew overnight from Fraser, CO to spend Friday and Saturday with me (and our family). 

Kim (also know as sissy, sisser, Kimly, Kimmers, Timmers, or whatever comes out at the time) moved in September 2010 to go to a discipleship school, called Timberline.  She spent a year being a student, learning Truth about the Lord, and about herself.  She decided to take a job there after her time as a student, stepping in faith of what God was calling her to do.  She currently lives and works at Timberline.

Most people that know me, know my sister, and the beautiful transformation the Holy Spirit has done in her life.  If anyone would have told me a few years ago that she would be my best friend, I would have made a crazy face and thought that to be a ridiculous thought.  Good thing our God is faithful, a healer and that He is redemptive.  She has a really sweet story of how God called her to be His, but I will let her share that when she hops on the blog wagon.  :)

When Kim left for Colorado two weeks after Reed and I got married, she told us we could not have kids until she came back.  However, the Lord had other plans.  :)  She was the first person I called last September when I told her I peed on a stick and it was positive.  She responded by crying, saying she was really sad she wasn't going to be in Greenville. 

Kim has loved this little baby girl from that moment.  She has done nothing but encourage, listen, and shower gift after gift (her love language) on me and this little baby. 

Kim made this for the nursery- It is a sweet, southern song my Grandma Langley would sing to us when we were children.  We loved it and still sing it.

Baby's first onesie

 I have wanted her to be here so many times throughout this journey of growing a baby.  Kim always helps me in life, she's good at it.  Whether it is packing for my honeymoon, getting ready for prom, moving into college, or just moving in general.. she has always been there to help me keep it together and stay focused.  Believe it or not, I don't always have it together.  :)

This weekend was a sweet gift from God!  I am so glad I could spend time with Kimmers before this baby is on the outside.  (Even though Kim really came to see how big I am now and rub my belly non-stop.) Not only did I get to spend time with my precious sister, we also hung out with some of my other favorite people, Reed and my brother.  (We def had a slumber party at my house Friday night)  We also spent time with my parents and were able to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.  

Breakfast at Coffee to a Tea

Family picnic at the park

Awkward family photo

Drums on my belly

I so thankful God gave me such a wonderful sister.  I am thankful that she and I are very real with each other, from our hair and style to our hearts and sin.  I am thankful for technology, that we can talk to each other often.  I am thankful to see God through her serving and giving heart.  I am thankful that God has given her a gift of being blunt, and that He is using that for His Kingdom.  I need people like that.  I am thankful that she chooses to serve Him and lives in His love.