I have been amazed lately at the friends that God has brought into our lives.  Friends that love us as we are and that we can be real with.  Friends who share our love of homeschooling, writing and homesteading,etc.. It hasn't always been this way.  I definitely think God takes us through seasons with friendships and time alone in the desert as well. 

So I guess those desert times make me appreciate the friendship seasons all the more.  I had such a wonderful time meeting some of The Old Schoolhouse gang in TN last week and was amazed at how close I felt to some of these folks that I only knew from online.  Then I had a few days before Thanksgiving.  One night I went out with a dear friend and just talked and ran errands together.  It was such a blessing to just have someone to "hang out" with after it seems like years of not having a good girl "pal".  She and I talked about trying to hit some early morning sales on Friday, but then we were both really ok with backing out late Thursday night.  I love a friend who can join me in my indecision. 

We got together on Saturday to celebrate her oldest son's birthday and again just had a good time hanging out together.  I got to help her husband add a few things to his blog. (He is such a geography nut.  He had a short geography quiz on his blog the other day.  Maybe you can send your kids over there to see if they can answer his questions.  I'm embarassed to say how tough they were to me). 

Then I got to enjoy just hanging out with my 4 year old for a while.  We ran some errands and counted 30 houses with Christmas lights on the way home. Jake spent the night at his buddy's house or at least he almost spent the night.  He ended up deciding to come home and it was good to know that they understood.   Joe, meanwhile, was trap shooting that night and got 24 out of 25.  He is so close to that elusive 25!

Then we got to enjoy having church at our home with another family.  They also homeschool and are getting into the homesteading kind of stuff.  Isn't it amazing how God brings people into our lives to encourage us?  It's not just anyone that you can sit around and talk about affordable solar energy, wind turbines, the most efficient pasture fed cow and cutting hay without all of the expensive tractor stuff. 

I never would have expected us to be where we are 4 years ago.  God has gone above and beyond our expectations in so many ways.  Things aren't always easy.  In fact some things have been very difficult, but experiencing God's faithfulness through it all has been amazing.  I can still remember as a young teen how God was so often described as our "Best Friend" and I think that has always spoken to me.  I love friendships.  I love my friends.  And most of all I love my Best Friend who always has been there, always is and always will be there.  No matter what season.