Jameson and I strive to place people at the center of our lives.  Careers and life goals and adventures are all of great import.  But at the core of what makes our world revolve is the people we choose to share our mundane life with.  We know a remarkable couple (who happen to be our high school gym teachers and later our landlords) that possess this unbelievable ability to love on others.  When you are in conversation with them it is always intentional, and they truly have the gift of making you feel heard. In them both is the capacity to earnestly share in your joy regardless of circumstance.  Beyond that, they also love God with the same vigor they love others with.  We look up to them.  Jay and I would consider it our greatest accomplishment if we are ever able to walk out our marriage in the same loving manner they embody, and make those around us feel even mildly as cherished as they manage to do.

Fortunately for us, we have people quite literally across the globe that love us and we love whole heartily. Our circle extends from from Dallas, to Sydney to Victoria, with stops in Toronto, California, New York and everywhere in between.   It is friends and family who feed us. They possess the ability to transform a dreary day.  They are the ones able to speak encouragement, and wisdom into our lives; whether we connect daily or only every so often.  We are so grateful for all of those that are willing to come along side us to share in this crazy, adventure we are on. So thank you to each and every one of you.

So needless to say it was such a soul filling time for us this summer when we got the chance to carve out a week of road tripping with three of the people who are firmly entrenched at the center of our universe.  Truth be told Jay and I are in full agreement that it is probably one of the highest highs of our entire time in NYC thus far.  It wasn’t the adventure or the scenery or all the great food.  It was simply because of who we shared the time with.  We are so grateful to have created our own little New York family.  Even though it doesn’t replace or keep us from missing those at home like crazy, it at least helps bolster us in the place we currently are. Continue reading “Get out of Town: Northeast Road Trip”