Today I am thankful for those friends. They are the kind of friends that know your soul. The kind of friends that you connect with on a level that’s more than skin deep. The kind of friends that can laugh hysterically with you when playing telestrations and cry with you when that’s needed too. The kind of friends who give up their day off to drive to your apartment and bring you lunch because they know you get lonely at home all day. The kind of friends who go through the same spiritual struggles as you and aren’t afraid to share that and help each other out.

Pearson and I truly are so blessed to have found this tribe here. Life is hard and I am thankful that God never intended for us to go through it alone. These people spoke life back into me this weekend and I can’t wait to do it again next year (with a couple more tiny additions for little Elizabeth to play with).

Pearson stayed over night in the lab Thursday night so when he came home around lunch time on Friday, he went straight to bed and slept for several hours. So we didn’t get on the road as soon as we were planning, but that’s okay. We just didn’t get to go out for dinner with the others. We got to the cabin around 8:30 and we celebrated Erika’s birthday with a Harry Potter inspired birthday cake! Then we stayed up talking and watching TV.

Saturday morning I got up pretty early to get breakfast ready and I got to enjoy my coffee while watching this gorgeous sunrise from our back porch! It was a wonderful way to start the day!

After breakfast, we went to Conkle’s Hollow. We didn’t go there last year so it was great to see something new. We walked the half mile through the gorge to the waterfall and walked back.

And Pearson took a little nap when we paused at the waterfall.

Then we decided to walk the rim. We climbed up one side and hiked the two and a half miles around the gorge and came down the other side. It was much longer and more difficult than any of us anticipated, but the views were to die for!

Traditional picture on the bridge

The beautiful waterfall

After that, we had a wonderful dinner and game night back at the cabin. And a few of us even got in the hot tub. Then Sunday morning we worshiped our Lord and had a lovely devotional before heading our separate ways. It was a wonderful weekend and for Thankful Thursday today, I am so thankful for these wonderful friends and a great trip!