BFF's & box-o-date-night

once you've been friends with someone for awhile--it's fun to talk first impressions.

at first, my best friend lyndsey thought i was an african american single mother (i do get pretty tan in the summer;).

her husband paul, dubbed my eric, 'sir frown alot' (his words--not mine) and was scared to approach him at church.

the moment i heard lyndsey's voice on my answering machine asking us to come to her "small group" i was convinced she was a crazy church lady...

fast forward 8 years...

together we've celebrated so many birthdays, christmases (even our "friend anniversaries") not to mention the birth of 3 of our kiddos. today the perry family is an extension of my own.  i've never met two more generous and open-hearted individuals.  if you don't know them--you should.  if you can't tell yet--i'm their biggest fan:)  we are sweatpants-wearing, late-night-taco-bell-running, chinese-food sharing, two-slices-of-pie-kinda-friends.  we've been each other's first call with good news...and midnight call when things were crazy.  for years we lived just 6 doors down...then we lived together, then just a 10 minute drive apart...and now we live 1200 miles away.  

i've found the very best things even distance can't touch.  i have a handful of friendships from my hometown that i know will always be the same...the perry's are one of them.  they are...well...i just think everyone should have friends like them.  friends to have fun with, to unwind with, to celebrate with, mourn with, fight with, make up with--friends to walk with. no comparisons or competitions (unless we are talking a foot race or a throwing competition--then IT'S ON!!)  but seriously, we've walked down some pretty treacherous stretches of road together.  there were times where it seemed too hard...and yet right there was where we found grace fit just perfectly.

as i journey through this life i'm discovering that i've been spoiled--friendships like this are rare.

more rare than i knew.

 i miss them (like crazy).  

we recieved a surprise package from the perry clan last week.  naturally we ripped it open right away!  inside we found  something so remarkable.

 it was an at home date night--all boxed up and ready to go!  paul and lynz know that eric and i haven't gotten much face time since moving away (turns out there is a severe shortage of babysitters when you don't know anyone).  so they put together a box o date night...complete with instructions for us and the kiddos.

 we even had homework to complete before our date :)

 the date box was jam packed with fun stuff for the kiddos to keep themselves busy.  boy did their eyes widen when they saw all the junk food momma linny had packed for them!!!

 jaeda had strict instructions to take care of rhett...to make their dinner and pop them popcorn...while they watched the brand NEW MOVIE the perry's had sent!  she loved the responsibility.  daddy paul and momma linny know her too well...

 meanwhile, eric and i were given an envelope with money for dinner and a few connecting questions to ask and answer under the florida stars...i think the list went something like:

• share something that you appreciate about your spouse
• share something new about yourself with your spouse
• share one of your hopes for the future
• share one thing that puzzles you about your spouse
• share a complaint with a request

after weeks and months of kiddos and kiddos and getting settled and kiddos and of eric having to do homework after the kiddos went to bed, it was so lovely to hear from his heart...

we reconnected over some yummy sushi...(although it's no moonlight)

and just like that--the perry's and their little brown box brought out the best in us.  we walked away from our little date night feeling so refreshed.  their thoughtful gift made us feel oh so loved--even from a thousand miles away!

after our date there was one more envelope for jaeda's eyes only...it was an envelope with money for the "sitter".  she was thrilled...to say the least!

gosh, it was such a fun night.  we've decided we're gonna send them a similar box soon...and start a new tradition with these friends of ours...
(love you perry's!!!)

if you don't have friends like these perry people--you should find you some.  inviting people into your life can be tough...but man, it sure does make the ride worthwhile...

take a chance--invest in friends.