PA with Bekah!!!!

BEKAH!!!!!! Oh, to see my dear friend's face again in person, and hug her neck, was just such a sweet joy! This lady is beyond special to me and it was such a blessing to get to spend the whole weekend with her at her parent's home in PA while she was on the East coast visiting from Portland.

Bekah grew up smack dab in the middle of Amish country. Where lush rolling hills, endless farm fields, and horse and buggies trotting down the road are an everyday sight. This part of the country is beautiful beyond words. Every time we were out driving I was kicking myself because I never had my camera with me. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. Definitely in my top five most beautiful places I've been in the United States. It is peaceful. And runs at a different pace. It's the kind of place that I could just sit forever, soaking up the views and the big sky and listening to the sound of hooves hitting the pavement. Needless to say, it was a great three days away.

(picture from Bekah's parents backyard.)

Once we finally made it inside the house following all our screaming and jumping and hugging after we arrived....this beast (ha ha! get it, beast) greeted me in the room the girls were staying in!

Holy Mamma!! We've died and gone to Disney heaven! That's the most gigantic Disney picture I've ever seen! To say that Bekah's mom 'Lou loves Disney would be the understatement of the century! Any lady that can convince the theater to give her a 9 foot tall cardboard picture of Beauty and the Beast when it is strictly against theater policy, has my undying respect and admiration! Oh, I just love these people so much!

Once I scooped my mouth up off the floor after witnessing all this wonderful Disney magic we eventually hit up Bekah and her parents favorite Dutch restaurant, Shady Maple.

This place made me giggle. It was the most massive buffet I've ever been to! I think Isaak saw a beam of heavenly light and heard a chorus of angels singing "Hallelujia!" when we got there! Ha ha!

It also had a gift shop on steroids! You could probably fit a whole Target store inside that thing, that's how stinkin' massive it was. I think we could definitely pull off being Amish. If ya know, only we weren't such Harry "Poo Poo Head" (bah ha!), Twilight lovin', Hunger Games obsessed, electricity needin', make-up wearin', Disney fanatic, x-box playin' "sinners"! Take all that away and we'd fit right in. :~)

After dinner we all came back to the house and spent the evening with one of Bekah's sisters Natalie, her brother-in-law Shaun, and her little nieces and nephew. The kids hit it off immediately. In no time flat they were running around the house, picking each other up, screaming and giggling like they were all old friends. While they busied themselves us adults got our game on.

And, may I just say, I thought we were competitive?! This family is in a whole other league! And when you throw together some of the most insanely competitive people on the planet, games like Dutch Blitz, 7 and Catan will without a doubt turn into the most intense smack talkin' fist slammin' "I will crush you to smithereens or go down trying!" games you've ever witnessed! You could cut the tension with a knife! It was hysterical!

Saturday and Sunday were spent just blissfully hanging out. 

We swam.

 Bekah taking deep breaths to not kill Isaak after he blasted her with water.

 Sydaleigh practiced her diving.

 Isaak practiced being....intense. :~)

We laughed.

We stayed up late talking. We laughed till we cried. This weekend was one of the funniest times I've spent. Bekah's family is without a doubt....exceptional. I couldn't get enough of them. None of us could. I had to pry Isaak away because he kept stalling to leave, and the girls had a tear fest before we left. They are just the kind of people that I could thank Jesus for the gift of knowing them every day of my life and it still wouldn't be enough. Lou and Joe, Bekah's mom and dad, well, let's just say...if we are half the people they are when we die I will be happy. There are no words. Or, really, too many words. They are the most authentic believers, absolute powerhouses for Jesus, humble and obedient, wise and faithful. The conviction behind the way they prayed, left me with in awe. They live with integrity. They have every movie ever made, almost. And every book every written, almost. They are deep feelers. Wise crackers. Disney lovers. Incredibly hospitable. They are crazy funny. As competitive as all get out. But more than anything they love Jesus, and they love their family. And, spending the weekend in their home blessed my socks off. 

I am so grateful that they all were willing to share their time together with me and my family. It was unforgettable. Such a hilarious and deeply rich time together. Love this lady.

Next time, hopefully I will get to see this face in Africa. A girl can pray..... :~)
  
some unforgettable moments...
"would dya look at that."
penis enlargement
"Heaven's gonna be like Hogwarts!"
seeing Lou's face and hearing her laugh when she opened her Twilight picture (and seeing her put it up in place of Abi's wedding picture-ha ha!)
Bekah's "Bald Guy" break up card
sanitary napkins
wings, scented, overnight and extra long
"I thought you were the first kind...a raging alcoholic"
Isaak's ego getting crushed in Catan
Natalie carrying all four girls around on her back
Sunday church
Lou anointing us
watching the girls make themselves at home in everyone's lap. 
"You want me to sleep with Isaak and Missy?!"