Pure Love

God has blessed me in so many ways in my life.  One major blessing in my life is my friends.  I have a group of friends that is truly unmatched.  We love each other like sisters through thick and thin.  We've been through so much together -- high school, college, marriage, adoption, new babies, miscarriage, infertility, death of family members, this list could go on for so long.  We've all lived in the same town together and we've all lived in different places, but the love never runs out and when we're together it's like we never left.  My friends are my soft place.  My safe place.

Here are some of my favorite pictures -- past and present. :)

 

 

 

 

  

  

  

 

Don't I have the most beautiful friends??

When I struggled with breastfeeding (which I talked about here), they were all just a text, phone call, or visit away.  It meant so much to me to have their support and some really awesome "been there, done that" advice.

When we switched to formula and my thoughts and emotions were all over the place, my sweet friend Cassie was my shoulder to lean on.  She was kind and compassionate and I honestly couldn't have made it through without her.  She lives in a different town, but it felt like she was right there holding my hand and for that I am forever grateful.

The other day when Cassie was in town and we were hanging out, she mentioned that she had some frozen breastmilk she wouldn't be able to use with her little guy.  She told me she wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but if I wanted it for Lydia I could have it.  I told her of course I would love to have it!!

As I came home that night and started thinking about her offer, I literally just melted into a pile of tears.  The thought of my best friend filling in the gaps for my baby girl, loving me and my girl this way is more than I could ever ask for.  It may seem small to some, but to me it feels like one of the biggest acts of love ever.  I can't even type this without getting teary.  The breastmilk Lydia is getting from Cassie means her little body is getting precious antibodies that may protect her from infection or disease later in her life...among so many other things.  How do you even adequately say thank you to that??

We started Lydia on the breastmilk yesterday and she did fabulously!  She is going to be getting about 8oz every day.  I mix 2 oz. with each of her bottles.  Yesterday as I watched that liquid gold going into her mouth all I could do was cry and thank God for His precious gift of my friends.

THIS is what pure love looks like.  Last night as Justin was feeding Lydia he said, "Lydia and Cassie are forever going to have a special bond".  And he is so right.