Coming full circle

18 children playing in a hotel room

Isn't it beautiful to see how God weaves the tapestry of your life together with others'? I am so, so blessed to have such amazing friends. Our dearest friends who are the godparents of all our children have spent 2 1/2 years living in the Middle East, and finally most of the family (minus their daddy for a time) appear to be back in the states for good. We are so happy :)

Then early this year my close friend Kiley from our homeschool group was transferred with her husband and children to the middle east, living in a villa just across the street from Veronica and family. It was so neat for me to hear their stories of life in Qatar, and so neat to think about how our friendships are all connected.

Through my high school youth group I met Veronica, who was about to move out of state. Then 4 years later we ended up in the same Geography class in college! I sponsored her through RCIA and we became the closest of friends along with our boyfriends, now husbands. We all decided to homeschool. Kiley was another young mom in my homeschool group and we both suffered a miscarriage around the same time, and then went on to be pregnant together with our third living blessings! These toddlers are both "heart" babies who share a pediatric cardiologist. All three of us now have 3 children (+ new baby boys in-utero for them!) and Veronica will be living close by again. Kiley will be heading back to Qatar for a few more years after her baby boy is born, doing her own work of evangelizing to fallen-away Catholics and those who are interested in the Truths of our Faith.

Tonight was a time to see how God weaves lives together...Kiley and Veronica, my dear friend K (who I also met in a random way many years back as we lived in the same apartment complex, she's the one who suffers from cancer), and two other close friends from our homeschool group met for a nice evening with the G family while they are here on this short visit. It was so beautiful to see all the children playing together, to realize how our friendships have all grown, and to think about the future and what it holds for our families and our children.

Some worry about socialization for homeschooled children, but in our case I feel just the opposite! I think we are over-socialized! Who else but our loving Father in Heaven would bring all these beautiful families together, in a hotel pool on a cool August evening in Texas. Yes, I said that right...the weather was amazing tonight! 18 children+10 adults+2 babies-on-the-way...what a crazy and wonderful evening!

Children putting together plays for us on the hotel pool deck tonight. First was the "Three Little Pigs" and this one pictured is "Little Red Riding Hood." Mary Clare is the little pink riding hood, laughing at the "wolf" laying on the ground. Such fun memories!