For Jen P (and anyone else who wants to see silly pictures of my kids)

I'm writing in honor of my friend, Jennifer. Now you are probably wondering which Jennifer - because it was the most popular girls' name in America for how many years?  Well, I have had many a friend named Jennifer in my 33 years. But, this is my friend Jen from law school. Oh gosh, there was more than one Jen in law school. Okay - we'll call her Jen P (just like being on The Bachelor, right? Ironic since that show was such a significant part of our law school experience.).

This is her:

I met Jen my first week of law school. Together with our sweet friend, Amy L, we were like the Three Musketeers. My friendship with these two girls is one of my most tangible experiences of God's provision in my life.

I can clearly remember listening to Point of Grace (told you, I'm a CCM nerd) driving to my first day of law school orientation, parking my little black Ford Focus in the lot, and walking into my first day of three borderline-hellish years of education. (And yes, I am now a stay at home mom). As I walked into that stately building, which would become my home away from home, I was nervous. Much more shy than I am these days, walking into a room of 150 new faces was not my idea of a good time.

All of a sudden I remembered a prayer I'd journaled months earlier.  "Lord, please help me have just one friend in law school who knows You." I had written that prayer, never looking at it again or giving it another thought, until that moment. I thought, "Lord, I know I haven't continued to ask for that friend, but I sure hope You didn't forget and that You've been working on the answer for me."

I took a deep breath, pulled open the heavy, tall glass door and found the line to pick up the orientation packet. A girl with one of the sweetest, kindest faces I'd ever seen stepped into line behind me. We started chatting as we picked up our packets and made our way down to the lecture hall for the opening session. As we discussed life before law school, this sweet girl said that she had just finished her Masters in Theology at a local seminary as well as two years in campus ministry at Oregon State. So what if she was a Beaver?  LOL! I didn't care - I knew that she loved Jesus. And, as we found two seats together in the lecture hall, I sat in awe that God had provided me the friend I needed within my first 30 seconds in the law school building.

That girl was Amy L (in the middle in the picture above). I think it was in the next few days that we met sweet Jen P (who sparked my writing today!). And, I was blessed with God's provision of not one, but two, friends who knew, loved and desired to follow Him. We ended up as roommates for awhile, and life long friends. They saw me through many long-days-that-turned-into-nights-of-studying, trips to the Bux to appease our intense caffeine addiction, personal challenges and joys, painful hours spent in some mind-numbing classes, job interviews, and the dreaded bar exam.

Life after law school meant that seeing each other in person daily had to end. During those three years, I didn't think much about the fact that someday life would be different. School would be over. We would have jobs. And billable hours. I would have babies. Amy would live a half-mile from my house but we would still have trouble getting together. Jen would become a JAG officer and move all over the country.

But these girls are still two of the best friends a girl could ask for. Life changes, but their friendship and their place in my heart hasn't changed. I know, so cheesy . . . but SO true.

And, Jen is one of the best all-time gift-givers to my three kids. Which is why I'm writing this. When I had Jameson, Jen treated all three of my kids to the most adorable shirts. Personalized with their names. My kids think they are amazing.  And, finally they all fit into them at the same time. So, I tried to take some pictures to send to Jen.

As you can see, our little photo sesh quickly digressed.

I tried, Jen.  I really tried. I made them all wait to wear them until the shirts fit everyone at the same time. And, I gave them all baths within the same hour (a serious achievement) so they'd be clean. And, then I put the shirts on everyone and wouldn't let them eat snack in them. But it was impossible to get them all to cooperate at the same time.

This was the best I could do:

No idea what Eliza is doing.

Seriously?

So, there you have it, Jen P. Hope these bring you a little joy wherever you are this evening.  I'm sure you are traveling somewhere exotic like North Dakota or back woods Georgia to prosecute, or defend, or something else similarly glamorous. Because you are one amazing lady. and attorney. and friend.

Oh - and Eric just pointed out that I should probably mention what these darling shirts say. Since Eliza never positioned herself in a way that you could see hers.  They say Big Brother Marshall, Big Sister Eliza, and Little Brother Jameson.