Besties

Meet my best friends, Abby and Alessia:

Unfortunately, we don't get to see each other much, seeing as I'm in Virginia and Abby's in Texas and Alessia is all the way is in ITALY. Last summer, the three of us got to be reunited for about three days in Ethiopia, which was the first time we had all been together since we graduated in 2008. And don't worry -- we made that reunion count, starting with the fact that Alessia didn't even know I was going to be in the country, so we staged the biggest, best surprise ever.

But like I was saying, we don't see each other much, and we have such different lives now that sometimes it's hard to even keep each other updated. But I am feeling SO BLESSED this weekend, because...

1. I got the best package ever from Abby,

which had (among other things) this absolutely adorable, wonderful book she WROTE and DREW for ME:

(Isn't she the most creative person you've ever seen? ...I'd have to agree.)

AND THEN

2. I got to skype with Alessia (Gabriella Maria Christina Louisa Santilli) for AN HOUR AND A HALF yesterday! Guys, this never happens. And what I loved about it was that it was just so chill and we were wandering back and forth between super intense and super random topics, just like we used to. (Do you have any friends like that? Where you can just pick up right where you left off, even though it's been six months since you've had a legitimate conversation? They're the best, really.)

(Sidenote: Who would have EVER thought that you would be able to look through your little computer screen and see and talk to your BFF in Italy? Thanks, Skype. I really should log into you more often...Especially considering the whole parents in Kenya thing.)

I'm so thankful to be reminded of old times, of Super O, Toitle and Coony, of code names and Christmas Day and singing into highlighters and pow cows and kitfo and EVERYTHING. (and Abby and Ale, I love you both a LOT!)

p.s. I was looking through a bunch of old pics to find a good old one of the three of this...

I'd have to say this one a success. Captures us so well. Circa 2006, maybe?