#mybiolaloves

#mybiolaloves diligently focused on finals week, then moved into their big bad grown up apartment, then headed off on summer adventures. I am so proud of them - they’ve had a hard year on many accounts and yet they’ve given it their all and I can say without question or hesitation that the Lord has been so faithful as we have invested in one another, become supporters, encouragers, providers of strength in moments of weakness and simply shoulders to cry on. We’ve laughed a lot, grown a lot, and truly developed a bond that will be forever cherished. When I told Erin Kerr I would facilitate a rooted group in fall 2014 I had no idea that God would give me something SO MUCH BETTER - that He would birth #thecoffee5 and allow me to mentor and walk alongside some of the dearest and most beloved college aged girls on this planet. I could not be more grateful for our time or this experience. To say I will miss them this summer is GROSS understatement. They undoubtedly own part of my heart and will forever have a little corner in my world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Last weekend, the Meggerator and I hosted a little grand finale celebration and soiree send-off of sorts (oooooooh did you like all that alliteration?!) for our girls. The evening started at my house where we chatted for a bit, then we headed to Birch Street - to Bruxie, for waffles…can we say DELICIOUS. After dinner, we went to Downtown Fullerton where they just remodeled a janky old movie theatre and put in reclining seats and seriously stepped up their service game. We settled in and got ready for the one, the only, PITCH PERFECT 2. The girls got popcorn and lattes while Megan and I decided to turn it up a notch and ordered ourselves coffee…and Baileys…again can we say DELICIOUS (and, I might add, there is nothing better than hitting a “call button” and having a waiter bring you a coffee and baileys during your flick. Seriously. This is living. Does anyone want to install that for my living room? Is that how a husband works?) After the movie, which was HILARIOUS by the way and totally worth seeing at least a few more times in theaters, we headed back to my house to open presents because WHAT PARTY IS COMPLETE WITHOUT PRESENTS?! I gave each of the girls a picture of our group as well as a pair of pajama shorts. When we had our Christmas celebration and “slumber party” we all got matching Christmas pajamas - so it seemed appropriate to do the same with summer pajama shorts. Plus we are all headed different directions this summer. Stacey is going to camp (you’re getting one of the best Frontier Ranch), Meredith is staying here in Orange County and working (which means she gets to hang out with me and Megan a lot! WOOHOO!) but will also spend some time with family in Santa Barbara and in Texas and Abigail will be nannying in Utah AFTER an amazing European adventure with her family. I will spend at least one weekend at TLC with the foster teens who own my heart and Megan will spend at least one weekend in San Francisco. So, in our matching pajama shorts, we can travel and still be together on some sort of level. I don’t exactly believe in the sisterhood of the traveling pants - let’s be real - we are NOT all the same size, but we’ll take this traveling shorts thing to a whole new level…watch out world a new hashtag is about to be born!

It will be my great joy and honor to pray my girls through the next few months as they live their dreams. On Sunday as I sat in church without them, the tears welled up. I really have come to claim them as my own. They are part of my Orange County family and they are undoubtedly one of the greatest and most unexpected blessings of the year. I will miss them terribly, but truly cannot wait for another year of laughing and learning and growing together. I won’t wish away the summer, but I look forward to the fall - and doing it all again. Oh #mybiolaloves - I do adore you!