Links to family and friends...

If you are like me, you "meet" friends of your blog buddies by clicking on the link from their page. You see the friend of your friend and often wonder, how in the world do they have a friend who lives in Canada!? Well, I recently added a couple links and wanted to update you on my growing list:

Andrea and Paul... this is my sister and her husband, mostly their son Benton and the baby on the way in just a few weeks! Andrea and I talk frequently, whine to eachother often, and remind one another why we signed up for this mothering gig. Our first babies are 4 weeks apart. It was a joy being pregnant together ;)
Dan and Hillary... I met Hillary in 1996 when we both worked at Palomar Christian Conference Center. Along with Laura and Lisa, we had a terrific summer and have been friends ever since. She is from the Victoria area in B.C. and married an American!
Jessi and Drew... Jessi is my cousin and has been a friend since highschool. We lived together for about 8 months and she always comes up when I tell the story of how my hubby and I hooked up. Jessi and Jeff were good friends (that is another long story) and he came around our place a lot the summer before we started dating. Jessi always encouraged me to go for him saying, "He's a good guy -- I couldn't stand to be married to him, but I think you would be good together."
Laura and Kris... Here is a new addition. My friend Laura (from PCCC) and her husband moved from Vancourver, WA to Nashville when they got married in October. It was the highlight last year to be in their wedding. Laura has also been to Africa twice as well and we enjoy sharing completely oposite African experiences.
Paul and Annie... Even though Jeff doesn't blog, he brought some friends to the links list. Paul was a good friends of Jeff's at Multnomah and they stayed in touch through the years. Jeff was in Paul and Annie's wedding and Paul was in ours. Annie and I have a lot in common and I enjoys these friends by marriage a great deal!
Amanda and Linds... some more Canadians! Amanda and I met the first week of school at Briercrest and were immediate fast friends. We spent every minute together our first year and then were roommates our second year. We've stayed in touch with visits (a highlight last year was a trip to Saskatoon) and we are really excited they are coming to see us in May this year.
Tawny... another cousin. She is my dad's first cousin (that crazy Friesen family) and growing up, we've been more like sisters than distant cousins. We are the same height and that bonded us for life! Tall girls have to stick together. She is California, but I am thankful we still share a whole pack of crazy relatives that she has to occationally come visit (me included).
Jenni... is a friend through my cousin Jessi. They worked together at First American Title and I remember the first time I met Jenni I thought she was a little strange. Well, what would you think when you are introduced to someone and then she changes her name on you? Jenni has a bit of a unique situation because her brother married a girl with the same name... Jenni Sheets. Also, they both work at the same office. So Jenni goes by Lauren at work, which is what I was introduced to her as. We've been friends for 6 years and I no longer think she is strange, but a great friend!
The Button's... this is a family Jeff and I met at church and immediately liked. Also, Lindsay attends MOPS with me in Dallas. We enjoy them a lot and I keep up with their blog, although now they go to church in Dallas.
The Brown's... this is Jessi's family and my Aunt who does the blog. They are known for their incredible yard. Aunt Marci has a self-taught PhD in flora and fauna by now and is the expert on everything that grows. Also, they enjoy their cats and have a special blog just for them!
Phil... is also a new addition to my links. This is my cousin on the Ewert side and is the most traveled person I know. When I was planning my trip to Europe 6 years ago, I asked his opinion on what I should see and do. His suggestion was to take a train from Europe to Russia and then to China and fly home from there. I did not follow his advice, but stuck the the well traveled path and I am sure missed out on a lot. His current adventure sends him to Sudan, Africa for one year. I will look forward to keeping up with his blog.
Janice... this is a blog that I keep up for Janice and I post her prayer letters on it. Janice is Jeff's Aunt and she is a missionary with SIM for 30 years in Southeast Africa. Jeff has gone to Africa to visit her 4 times and I have been twice. She is a great person and a good friend who graciously put up with us for a month in her home with our 2 year-old.
I can't believe I just said that... is a blog my sister started to chronicle all those things we say as parents that we never would have imagined crossing our lips. It needs to be updated badly!
Dallas MOPS... a blog for news and updates from my favorite Tuesday acitivy... MOPS!
My photography.... a place for me to post pictures that I take for other people and of Emma. I am an amature, but would like to take more pictures as the year go on. Photography is my favorite hobby.