Sometimes God puts a friend in your life who just GETS you. The kind you feel like you’ve known all your life. The one you just know would make the perfect roomie at blogging conference. The one who happens to have the cutest ever toddler and is willing to set up an arranged marriage so my girl can marry her boy and we’ll know we love the in-laws.
I first met Anna when we were both (in)couragers leading small online Facebook groups for moms. This woman? She has the gift of encouragement. Anna teaches me constantly how to be a good friend, to love others and do the hard work of staying in community. She naturally brings people together and makes everyone feel welcome.
Anna is my go-to gal when it comes to needing a friend to talk to who will always lend a listening ear and refrain from judgement. She knows just what to say to make me feel like I’m not alone in this crazy online world -without leaving me in a pity party pit. I rarely have to explain much to her because she knows my heart and how my mind works, and it’s beautiful. Anna writes from her heart, loves a good Gooseberry Patch cookbook and has given me my new favorite homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe. We share links to all our favorite things on Zulily and struggle to make it out of the Target dollar section without spending WAY too much money.
I thought it might be fun to include this video that Anna and I were in together for this year’s (in)RL conference, because I love nothing more than sitting down with her over a cup of coffee and talking about community, social media, and encouragement. {email subscribers click here to view}
Don’t you just love her? And I just adore that it’s Christmas in Anna’s video because Christmas is her THING, y’all. She might also be the only person I can get away with texting when I realize there are only 12 more Saturday’s until Christmas 🙂 And it’s not about gifts and spending and all the crazy consumerism that goes with it in our culture. She loves Christmas because it’s about hope and love and the great gift we’ve ever been given. Her heart is to encourage, to love on mamas right where they are in the middle of their crazy, ordinary days – and I’m so grateful to call her a true friend.
I love you, girl. This was the BEST way to start a grey Monday!! Thank you for your kind words.
Oh man! You both, here with your beautiful smiles? I love, love, LOVE so much. You and Anna have both taught me so much how to be in love with community, how to extend hands in grace and how to love with a fierce and loyal wildness! Big hugs and smooches!!!
BIG hugs right back to you, dear Tonya!!