Happy Birthday, Sarah! -

{Photo by Abbie Melle: September 24, 2016 - Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, England}

Happy Birthday to the girl who has put up with A LOT over the past 11 years. ELEVEN YEARS.

She's known a lot of me. The dark and the light. She has been such a faithful friend and so so kind to me. 

And after years and years of putting it off because I was scared of being arrested by the 

British customs police (I am not kidding you.), it was one of the best trips of my life to see her world. 

And then she put up with a lot lot lot more. This sweet, introverted, calm friend. and myself. 

She drove us wherever we wanted to go, led us up and down millions of streets across England,

waited for the billionth picture while Shannon and I lost our minds....
and let me sleep a lot in the backseat of her car because walking England is not for the faint of heart
and by that I mean if you have a heart condition, you will not do well on England's hills. 

From doing a U-turn at Stonehenge while being watched by some VERY sketchy biker dudes,
and saying "Oh my" when we got some air after going over a hill to which Shan and I said
 "WE HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR DRIVING SKILLS. DO NOT SAY OH MY."
to being a beauty of grace and poise as one of Rachael's bridesmaids to 50 cups of tea and long conversations
 to enduring me being outrageous at the dinner table just to make her family laugh that much harder....

....we're opposites. Honestly I don't know why she loves it. But I'm glad she does. 

There's hundreds of reasons we now love England but we love it most of all because it's where she is. 

You are so loved, Sarah. Thank you for being my friend!!

Happy Birthday, babe. *hugs* I love you so very much, and am so grateful for you! 

Praying this next year is full of wonder and joy and special memories. 

- JM -