Ephesians 3:20

Our God is pretty amazing. Let me just tell you. He is FULL of love, a giver of incredible grace, and the best Author to write the story of our lives. I just wanted to share a pretty incredible story of a friendship that has been a gift from God in so many ways.

Okay - so Heather was from a small town in South Dakota and I'm from big city Denver...and we both wound up at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. We first became good friends on a service project trip to Center, Colorado during our sophomore year of college. We worked on a ranch with troubled teens...and had a great time.

Then, randomly (or not so randomly), Heather wanted to work that following summer somewhere fun and warm - waitressing in Block Island, Rhode Island. So, on a Sunday afternoon in the college cafeteria, she mentioned this to me and said I should join her...but I only had like 12 hours left before the applications were due to work there. Amazingly, my parents didn't hesitate and said I could live AWAY from home for a WHOLE summer in a place that we've never been to and where we knew no one. (The fact that they said YES to this so easily is STILL amazing to me!) And then double amazing, I got hired as well!!! So we spent an entire summer together, waitressing on the beach. It sounds like a dream...but once we got there, we found out people around there called it the "Island of Sin" and Heather and I were forced to stick together and be there for each other as we worked 16 hour shifts and dealt with some pretty crazy stuff. God was so real to us there - as we were surrounded by incredible beauty...and as He empowered us to resist the temptations of sex, drugs, and alcohol. We wouldn't have survived that summer without each other. It was like people had never met people like us out there. They had never heard of 20 year old virgins.....and SOO many people thought we were sisters....and they kept saying we had so much "positive energy" (which we knew could only be the joy we receive from knowing God). People continuously thought the two of us were sisters. Some, I remember, would even ask of if we were TWINS. But ANYWAY, I know you're probably wondering where this is going....I'm getting there. :)

Okay so then I get married and move to WI...and Heather meets her hubby in Iowa. He happens to want to apply for law school and thought it was a long shot but applied to get into Marquette (in Milwaukee) even though it's really hard to get in to. Well, HE GOT IN...and I will never forget it when Heather called me on my birthday to tell me he got accepted and that they'd be moving to Milwaukee. What are the chances that God would lead two best friends and their hubbies to the SAME CITY of all the places in the world to get jobs. So THAT was pretty neat. So, for FIVE years, Heather lived by me, we led a high school girls small group together, we attended the same church, we were in Bible Studies together, she helped me a ton with my girls, and we just had FUN living by each other. Well then, about 2 years ago already, God opened the doors for them to move back to Sioux Falls to be closer to both of their families. So they went...and they had their first son there. Sweet Tyler who is now 18 months old.

Okay, thanks for reading all of this....

So THEN.....just 2 weeks ago, Heather called to tell me that they were expecting again. And I was pumped! But even as she told me that....I waited for more....because I would just like to say that I have ALWAYS said that I thought Heather would have twins. I have told her this numerous times and was surprised when her firstborn, wasn't a twin! I just always thought she'd be a great mom of multiples...and her dad is a twin.....so I waited for her to say "and we're actually having TWO babies!" BUT....GOD WANTED TO THROW ME FOR A LOOP TOO.....cuz Heather did NOT say two babies....but she said "SHELLY, WE ARE HAVING TRIPLETS TOOOOOOOO." I get tears in my eyes every time I think about this. What in the world???!!! WHAT are the chances that two friends would have triplets....let alone two best friends, maids of honors, college roomies, etc....I can't BELIEVE IT and we both say that we are never going to believe it even when we are 90 years old and we're sitting in our rocking chairs with our afghans over our laps, talking about all that has happened in our lives. :) REALLY THOUGH - I LOVE HOW GOD WORKS and how He seriously knew this plan this WHOLE TIME that our friendship was growing! And I'm in awe at His GRACE through this whole thing!!!! Just the fact that He led Heather and Evan to Milwaukee for 5 years so we could keep our friendship growing strong....because He KNEW we would need each other then...and NOW even more. And, since Heather has been in complete shock and overwhelmed and excited and freaking out and amazed all at once these past couple of weeks, Heather said that God planned even the timing of it all out so well because two weeks after she found out, I happened to be IN her area for my brother's wedding last weekend....AND then this week, she has been here for work....so I've been able to just encourage her and calm her nerves. (I told the girls to be on their BEST behavior!!)

So anyways, please just join me in praying for her and Evan....as she goes through this pregnancy and prepares to double the size of their family. Please pray for peace, for strength, and health for all. And join me in praising God for writing this amazing story. I AM SO EXCITED and know her babies - ALL of them...are SO incredibly lucky to get Heather and Evan as their parents!!!!! They are some of the most loving, compassionate, and FUN people I know. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!!!!!!!

(P.S. The chance of two friends BOTH having triplets...is like 1 in FIVE million just so you know) It just makes me wonder what else God has planned for our friendship...and for all of our kiddos.... I love that He's in control.

Heather and I at her wedding 6 years ago....

This is Heather and I at their good-bye party/baby shower for little Tyler.
Heather and my triplets - a little foreshadowing maybe? :) :)

And Heather's mom, Grandma Nancy - has always loved my girls, and pretty much checks this blog every night... so I'm told. :) Well, now she knows a little of what to expect. :) Congratulations!!! :) :) :)

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20