If you know me, or follow my blogs, you know that I’ve been a military kid for most of my life. I’ve traveled from coast to coast and met so many amazing people along the way. I don’t have a hometown, I don’t know any kids that I went to kindergarden with (I skipped kindergarden, but that’s not the point), and I don’t even come CLOSE to understanding what it would be like to grow up in the same house or even the same town for my whole life. But, what I do know is that the friends I have are like family. Not in a cliche’ sort of way, but literal family.
I met Audrey on the first day of new student orientation at SAGU. We were both transfer students and a few years older than the other incoming freshmen, so we were put in the same welcome group. Turns out we were also in the same dorm and on the same hall. As a military kid, my mode of making friends is: “Hi, my name is Elaine, let’s be friends right now or never.” Military kids understand that you just don’t have time to “get to know each other” so you either choose to jump in head first or move on to someone else. Thankfully, she (along with a few other friends I now call family) was okay with my way of making friends and we’ve been close friends ever since. Those first weeks of school we did everything from playing in the rain to driving all over Texas to meet a random guy in a grocery store who had some secret Switchfoot album. I’m pretty sure I even took them over to my grandma’s house for dinner.
All of that to say, this girl has been like a sister to me. Once she started dating Landon it was clear he was the one for her and he fit right into our group of friends. Chris and I stood next to them as they said their vows and they literally sat right outside the room the moment we became parents. They have walked through some of the happiest and hardest times of my adult life and I am so thankful for the role Audrey and Landon play in our daily lives and in the lives of our children. We are truly blessed with a loving and supportive family.
Alright, enough of that mushy stuff. Look how cute they are together…
