I have been incredibly lucky in the past several years to be connected to some pretty great people, and especially lucky to have amazing women in my life. I think it's SO important for women to bond and navigate life: celebrate each other, navigate issues, and give honest reality checks as needed. ;) Here to the right is a picture of one of the sweetest women I know- the one and only Mrs. Sara Haslag. Seriously- her thoughtfulness, generosity, and kindness have kept me in awe since the day I met her, and anyone else who knows Sara would tell you the same thing! It was so wonderful having her as a 'mentor' the past couple years and I'm seriously missing getting to spend time with her regularly. Now that I live in Kansas City there's a little piece of my heart missing...!
[Col and I with a few friends in Chicago this summer]
Okay, first of all, this picture is hilarious. Sara, in her infinite sweetness, treated me and a few other ladies to a Chicago trip! One of those ladies was Colleen Kelly, one of my oldest Mizzou friends. This photo op is a product of a fateful museum outing that included paying to get in, (we thought it was free) and getting incredibly lost on the way back to the hotel. Ugh, moving on... To me, the things that make Colleen, Colleen, are her excitement (the girl can and will get excited about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING), her wisdom, and her resiliency. In the past year she went through having cancer and handled it with so much grace, poise, and peace . She's truly an inspiration to praise in all circumstances, and to be kingdom minded.
[Super old pic of me and Em]
I got a very pleasant surprise last weekend at Jacob's Well when another incredible woman I know tapped on my shoulder. None other than Emily Baize! (Formerly known as Miss Hawn.) Em is super sweet as well... I think I will need to go to the dentist after this post because I am going to get a cavity from all the sweetness... But Em is now living in downtown KC and she invited me to her super cute loft to catch up this morning. It was absolutely wonderful to get back in touch and I am so glad that we live in the same town. Five years ago when I met Em she was a high school teacher and now she's finishing up her Master's of Architecture degree. What I love about her is her willingness to follow the Lord's leading in her life. She's a great example of giving her future over to the Lord and in turn experiencing something grander than she could have imagined!
I feel so blessed when I think about these relationships, and about all of the other incredible ladies I know! Leave it to Destiny's Child to sum it all up:
