A 19th Birthday -

Golden spring day sitting beside a best friend, and watching her hair wisp about her face,
thinking of our friendship, and the inward Christ that gives her
all the beauty and grace and love
- that brings her to love me ...and I her ....
so very dearly.
Happy 19th birthday, darling.
I love thee.
~ Jean Marie ~

Tomorrow (well, today, now, since it's early Sunday) is the birthday of a very sweet girl ... our own - Emily Stone. :) She is turning 19!! You may know her from her two blogs - Storing God's Commands, and As I sit here Thinking. I hope that you know her beside those two blogs, though, because she is a little lady worth knowin', for sure. :)

We've been friends since they (The Stone family) started coming to CCC, my church, and although Emily didn't always come along to my house, because it was just Anna and I, we soon enjoyed having Emily along, and then Olivia as well, three jewels of precious friends to me.

Emily ... how to describe her. (laugh...then slaps forehead) Huge smiles, infectious giggling and laughing, playing piano, singing, playing her flutes and whistles and guitar, hearing her sing "It's the Climb" from another room, laying my head on top of her head ... she's 5'2". :) I think: Rascal Flatts, Celtic Thunder, and you trying to get a song on the country station that you liked and your supreme frustration, just making Anna and Livvy and I laugh so hard. Oh my.

Umm, I think ... this: a huge smile on her face that makes you want to squish her in a hug (don't worry, I almost always do), and way, way, WAY cute little accessories and clothes that change every single time you see her. She's crazy different that way - always a fun surprise. :)

And then I think of this: tromping through the orange groves on Superbowl night, with a baby goat under one arm, and her favorite cat in the other. Huge smile on face. Girlie dwarfed in a sweatshirt. Cuddling her little animals and watching them fall asleep in her arms.
And then I see this, and laugh hysterically. The one day that Anna is shorter than Emily... (look closely at the bottom - Anna is standing in a trench) that day only lasted about ... uhh, 2 minutes? Emily: "This is weird." Anna: "Yeah, it is. I'm getting out of the trench.". Haha!

I cannot help but reflect on all that God has brought both of our families through, and our friendships through. Looking back - I can't believe we are still here. Living, breathing. Together, as friends. And then I look back, deeper, and I can see all of God's faithfulness and grace, bubbling up through all of it.

There have been several times I have lost your friendships, temporarily, or out of a mis-communication, some a couple years past, some ... recent. It crushed and devastated me to even think of losing some of the dearest girl friends to my heart ... ever. God, and God alone, has brought me through ... but I thank you, Stone girls, for not giving up on me, and for loving me still.

Emily - I've shared hurts with you, I've sobbed with you, we've prayed for each other, we've sung together, we've been frustrated with each other, we've most likely been bad together, we've gotten into trouble, we've planned and thrown parties and surprises and held each other in long hugs that last so long only because we are afraid to let go, because it might hurt more.

Emily - as time goes on - you only become more precious to me.


Sometimes it's a little frustrating how drop dead gorgeous you are, but I quickly get over it when you give me that smile, and hug me a little. It helps that I hold the camera, muwahahaha!

Seriously though ... wee doagies ... you are lovely, dolly!!!

Emily - I can't tell you how much I love to be with you, to listen to you, to share with you, to take pictures with you, to spend all day doing nothing with you, and yet talking about paint and rust and pictures and dresses and half swooning over boots and dancing and turquoise stairs and singing "Long Black Train" at the top of our lungs in the kitchen and lying on the trampoline and getting some sun, and hearing you work on your Spanish which only makes me laugh again and again, and having you hug me first, and watch you throw your arms around those you love, and bouncing in excitement ... and the list goes on, and on. And ... on. Thank you, darling.

Mainly - the point is: I love you, Emily. Happy 19th Birthday, love.

In our Lord Jesus Christ,
~ Jean Marie
(Psalm 103)

"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness
known through all generations." (Psalm 89:1)