Robert and I got to spend an extended amount of time in Richmond Hill with my family for Thanksgiving.  This town use to be the town that I never thought I would go back to, then the Lord sent me there for 5 years...and now I cry every time we go to visit and it's time to leave.  

I have already posted some pictures with the family (click to see!) but we also got to visit with some dear friends that I wanted to share with you!  We didn't get to see everyone we miss--know we love you all and hope to catch up with you soon!  We haven't visited the Hill since Thanksgiving and my heart is longing!

Here are a few of the blessings in my life:

You know I had to go straight for my little one--I haven't seen him since then and I can not express to you how much I miss him--and his parents of course!!!!  I know I blog often about this family, but don't know if I've ever shared the Heather story with you.  Five years ago at exactly this time the Lord was stripping me--like the for real strip everything away from you and everything you hold dear to you.  I felt very alone in Richmond Hill.  I was selfish and asked the Lord for one friend.  One friend Jesus that loves you and will love me.  The Lord didn't make me wait for this one.  He almost instantaneously gave me Heather.  We have truly shared life together having both gotten married (she was my Matron of Honor) and now she's a mom.  The Lord really used her to keep me grounded and head up while in the Hill. We've gone through her moving to Atlanta for IHOP-ATL and now her back in the Hill and me in ATL, but through it all she is a true blessing in my life and I look forward to sharing life with her--and our families sharing life together for decades to come!

Heather, River and I:  

My dear friend Jac-Jacquelyn and I met at UGA but happened to both be from Savannah and have become great friends throughout the years! My favorite memory with Jac is the Christmas right before we graduated UGA together.  Her parents took us on a night to remember in Savannah with dinner at the First City Club and then off to Lucas Theater to see My Fair Lady--balcony, front and center!  We officially felt like grownups and had an incredible evening--but I love this girl and have many more memories I could share!  She moved to ATL after graduating--but is now back in the SAV and I enjoy having her in my life!!!

On Friday I got to visit with my dear friend Manda (also known as Amanda--but she has always been and will always be Manda to me).  Manda and I met our senior year of high school--but we went to rival schools and were both cheerleaders ( I know--I just heard a gasp come from the crowd!)  Manda and I were forced to like each other (you know those high school rivals are deep!) when we both were preparing to cheer in college and had to come together on the same squad and have been amazing friends since!  Oh the stories Manda and I have together and that we could spend hours telling!  She has lived in Florida the past few years and we haven't been able to see each other as much as we would like.  She was a bridesmaid of mine, but we haven't been able to visit since--a few months after Robert and I moved from Richmond Hill, Manda and her little one, Cadance, moved to Savannah.  How sad of the timing is that--but now I know I will still be able to see her more than I have in the past.  I love her, her mom and Cadance more than I have the words to express.  They have been there for me through some really rough times and we have laughed together--a lot!  You know the kind that you feel like you just had a really exhausting workout from!!!

Here's Cadance posing for me! :)

Manda and I:

The next morning I rolled out of bed EARLY and headed to my favorite coffee shop (same place I met Jac a few days earlier and will talk more about below) to meet my dear friend Heidi (and you really need to click here to see how amazing of a woman she is!).  Oh, Heidi.  There is not a blog big enough to share the adventures that Heidi and I have been through.  I met Heidi in my very early days at RHUMC.  I was in the beginning stages of planning the first International mission trip for RHUMC when this woman Heidi came into my life.  Our trip to Guatemala was very interesting--but birthed a friendship that would lead us around the world!  That next Christmas Heidi and I would find ourselves--just the two of us--in Budapest, Hungary (and almost being arrested--but that story is for another time) and a week in Romania (oh, stories and pictures, I might just have to go find those to share with you my blogging friends!)  Out of that trip, Heidi took the first ever adult mission team out of RHUMC.  A moment that I was beaming with pride--but knew Jesus was up to something huge!!!  She also went on to birth the soup kitchen that is still on going in Richmond Hill and has brought the community together.  Oh how I love this woman.  She challenges me to deny myself and look for Him in EVERY opportunity.  I know that when we are in the car together it will involve being pulled over on the side of the road helping someone.  I have introduced myself more times that I can count to homeless people as, "I'm Heidi's friend--remember we met last week."  I pass someone in need now, being 4 hours away and long for my friend Heidi.  The Lord has used her mightily in my life!!! 

As we were getting ready to leave, two of my favorite people walked in--the owners of Hill of Beans (aka the HOB), Amy and Emily.  Oh I miss them!  I miss this coffee shop--I miss going to visit and I miss bringing my kids.  Not sure if they miss me doing that as much as I miss them! :)  Emily and I share a deep passion for the community of Richmond Hill and long for unity.  She loves the youth of Richmond Hill and will do anything to love on them.  Oh how I miss you!

Heidi, Amy, me, Emily:

And those are just a few of the blessings in my life! :)