The Shoemaker Family

Remember that post I did a while back about the Thakkar family? Remember how I wrote about how nice it is to have friends that have lasted my lifetime (thus far), and phone numbers and addresses that have stayed the same while so much keeps changing around me? Remember? Well, you could pretty much copy that post and put it here in front of this one about the Shoemaker Family. There are details that are different but the sentiment stays the same. I. Love. This. Family. Nicole is in some of my earliest memories, from pre-school, to grade school, to youth group, to bible studies, to missions trips, to after school shenanigans, to cheer camp, to cheerleading, to college trips, to seaside weddings, to baby showers, to really 13.1 mile jogs in princess costumes. As long as I can remember, she has been in my life. And as long as I can remember, it didn't matter how far away we were or how long it had been since we last talked she was the type of rare friend that you could just pick back up with as if no time or space had ever been between the two of you. I am truly blessed to be in a place in my life where the time between seeing each other is at most only a few days and the space only a few miles. (Keep your eyes peeled for my post about the Disney Princess Half Marathon we both just trained for and participated in together.)

I loved this session with the entire Shoemaker, Radonski and Sico families. I loved knowing them and getting to watch as each personality shined through. I loved how when I told the kids to play in the leaves Isabella squealed, "this is soooo much fun!" as she released a perfect handful of yellow leaves into the air at just the right time and watched them fall with a delight in her eyes. I loved the love.