The light was just perfection on this autumn evening a few months back. We photographed our niece, Olivia, for her Senior photos. She will be a homeschool graduate this Spring (yay!) and has received top honors and offers from colleges. Everyone is so proud of her! She’s an incredibly sweet and bright girl, beautiful inside and out. We can’t wait to see where she goes in this world!

In life we are blessed to find true friends. Then there is that next level…those friends that are so close, they blur the line of friend and family. Rare ones, you just know what a treasure you’ve found when they are a part of your life.

Brett met Matt in college, and they have been the dearest of friends since. I was fortunate enough to gain his friendship through marriage, and over the last 15 years Matt has grown to be such an important person in our family. Living a couple hours north we didn’t see him as often as we’d like, but our kids always anticipate each visit. Upon arrival–which often begins with a trumpet being played in our driveway–they immediately grab him to make snow forts, play ball, or break out instruments for a jam session. Basically, Matt equates fun quality time…and not only for the little kids. Big kid Brett looks just as forward to seeing his buddy. Typically, they’ll begin concocting some gourmet meal at the drop of a hat, pulling random food from shelves. And Matt rarely arrives empty handed. His trunk is loaded with some goodie he made or picked up, so we usually pour a good brew and sit around having the best discussions…those incredibly introspective kind you only share with your closest.

But of all my memories, one favorite happened after the birth of our second child. For some reason I felt particularly alone and down in my mothering, and with an active three year old I just felt like I was sinking. On one of those first mornings we opened our door to  find a big pot of soup with a note. He had driven down two hours, graciously left us a meal, and then respectfully given us our space. Who does that? The dearest, I tell you.

When we heard that Matt found HER, the girl he had been waiting for, we were overjoyed. Amy compliments him and makes him smile brighter than we’ve ever seen. Frankly, they are adorable together….and now they are husband and wife….which means I gained a new hangout partner while those men of ours lose themselves in the kitchen.