The afternoon light turned cool toned around Abi and Banks as little Brecklyn nestled contentedly in their arms, a new rhythm of life pulsing gently around the three of them. I hadn’t spent this much time with Abi in ages, and it was very much like seeing her anew… no longer just the tiny girl i once babysat, she is now a mother, a wife, a woman actively strengthening by love’s refining work. Banks stood steady at her side this evening, their bond so very evident in the relational ripples of building a home together. Watching them, I felt wrapped in the sweetness of life’s long and surprising unfold – sensing a reminder that friendship, like family, only grows more complexly layered with each season and oh that’s as it should be. We ought to thank god that he carries all the fabric and all those layers are his crafting.