Best Friends Half a Country Apart | Glendale, CA

I saw this mom riding her bike in our small Mississippi town with a bike trailer full of two small children. She had just picked up her daughter from my son's toddler class. I had only been in Mississippi for a few short months but had already picked up on certain cultural aspects. One being, people don't ride bikes much less wear helmets and tow bike trailers. It was odd enough and intriguing enough I thought to myself, I must meet her. Turns out she was a transplant like me, she and her wife moved here from Boston. A simple "Hi," and "nice bike trailer" and we were having our first play date. 

We got to see our two oldest children hit it off immediately. Josiah and Edith were an intriguing pair. Both leaders by nature, I would've assumed there would be more headbutting. But they went together like butter on toast and frolicked through their fantastical world of imaginary play. Franziska and I bonded over several cups of coffee...I mean several. Our families have become wonderful friends all over two cutie pie kids that kinda are obsessed with each other. Just when things were going well, she and her wife, Desta, decide to go pursue some awesome job opportunities in California. This is when I began to cry in my sleep, "But why?!?" Honestly, was happy for them though. My whole family and I adore this Reff family and miss them every day...especially the free childcare in a pinch ;) (You only get friends you can dump your children off with in a moments notice as you rush your husband to the hospital for sawing off the top of his finger once in a blue moon).

Thankfully, this last February allowed for us to visit them in their new home in a suburb of Los Angeles. They are still just as amazing and we jumped into our old routine of amazing conversation and laughter and copious amount of coffee. Josiah and Edith are still best friends even if they haven't talked for months. They didn't miss a beat. And it was wonderful seeing Franziska and Desta thriving in their new fancy schmancy California lives. What precious memories from this trip. Of course, I couldn't resist being a nuisance with my camera and capture every moment possible.

And if anything is shown through these photos...A family is a family. Love is love. A best friend is a best friend. Thankful that Franziska and Desta found each other and had these amazing and beautifully strong girls that my boys get to know. They deserve everything wonderful.