The fortunate happening of family being friends.

Meet Amy. She's my best friend.

Our moms are sisters.

I am generally adverse to calling people names that they are not. 

For instance, I never say "This person is my brother" unless they are, in fact, my brother. There are too many proper adjective to describe people to lean on ones that aren't true. 

So I have always called Amy my cousin, which she is, where as others might choose to simplify things and just say "We are sisters".

We have done our entire lives together. She was at the hospital when I was born. We went through years of childhood off to a corner at family gatherings with eyes and ears for no one else. As soon as I got my drivers license, I made the 2 hour drive to Eldorado whenever my parents and gas tank would allow. And unlike many people who just grow apart, we just kept on growing in the same direction. 

When I had my first son, Amy said "I can't just call him my second cousin. I'm going to call him my nephew". And I said "Whatever you need to do."

Life carried us on. I moved, she moved. We spent a while over 700 miles apart, but still talked every day. I moved home to Central Arkansas. A few weeks later, when crisis hit, I called and said "I need you." and she said "I think I need you, too."

So she came. 

Our lives, even when completely different, still were connected by some common thread.

We both found our happily ever afters. 

We ended up going to the same church, getting involved. 

We prayed a lot for her to have a baby. 

And she did. 

Audrey. 

And I realized I could never just call her my second cousin. 

This year, God answered my own prayer. For a chance at a simpler life, a chance to homestead.

He gave me a house. 

Do you know how I knew it was perfect?

It was 5.2 miles from Amy. 

So now, after all this time of being all over the place, physically far away but still close. 

Now, we are just…close. 

You see, in the country, 5.2 miles means you're neighbors. 

It's funny, because this whole time, we've never really made these decisions for each other.

It's just sort of happened this way. 

I kind of love these moments where you see deliberation in your life. Because you see, these intentional connections that were completely beyond your control, these are the fingerprints of God.

Amy and I have talked about homesteading for a long time. We have a plan. For a long time it was a "what-if" plan. Then it became a "maybe someday" plan. This year is became a "soon" plan. 

Now it is just our life.

This morning we milked Amy's goats. 

Because we are no longer girls that talk about wanting goats and chickens and to live nearby each other on little homesteads. 

We just do. 

Isn't God good to us?

You will see more of our adventures. 

And when you see these people, and you hear me refer to them, you will know why

my cousin has a daughter who is my niece.