Winter Spring Summer or Fall.... You've got a friend.

We are not always all about the love, us Ventage girls.  We can be a critical bunch.  The weird web that has brought us together is unlike the rest of my friendships, and that can create some interesting intersections of personalities, experiences, and tastes in boys.  

If you had told me that this woman who I "met" on the internet and had a mini meet up with at a Starbucks, followed by a trip to Galena Illinois (SCARY AMISH HIGHWAYS) and then some seriously heartbreaking times and then some seriously joyous times would be the friend to me that she is today, I would have thought you were crazy.  Not just Al Gore Interwebs crazy but AL GORE crazy.  

Meet Miss Stephanie.  

Isn't she beautiful?  For someone who always is snapping pictures - she doesn't always like pictures of herself.  I don't get it.  I think she is gorgeous. I see strength, and humor and genuine love of life that is irresistible.  

I see a friend who has struggled and overcome and never loses that struggling woman in her heart and has such a compassion for others that are struggling right now.  She can get overcome by her feelings of empathy for others.  She FEELS it.  She is with them and wants to stand beside them to give them strength.  

I see a friend who has seen me at my worst.  Can't walk?  Have a 4 year old 2 year old and infant and a traveling husband -she was there.  

I see a friend who isn't afraid to admit that no matter how badly she wanted to be a momma - she seriously would like to run away and join the circus with me sometimes.  that it isn't perfect.  that it is hard and demanding and sometimes very overwhelming.  

I see a friend with ideas and projects and lots to offer the world.  She doesn't quite always see what she is ALREADY offering the world - she has given me so many great ideas and encourgaments - and I know that she does the same for a million others.  

I see a friend, who when I was struggling, was not afraid to say - me, too.  I have been there.  Lets drink wine and talk about stupid stuff to make the hurt go away for awhile.  

I see a friend who is not living in the past but planning for the future.  

I hope I am in that future forever.  

Love you Steph.  happy early birthday.  

This is my favorite Stephanie picture.  Luke was 3 months old.  Stephanie was still on her journey to be a mom and I am sure it wasn't always easy to be with a hormone addled new mom.  But she always had time for me, and she is so beautiful and real in this picture.  The two of them look right out of a magazine I think.