Kindred Spirits

"Marilla," she demanded presently, "do you think that I shall ever have a bosom friend in Avonlea?"

"A--a what kind of friend?"

"A bosom friend--an intimate friend, you know--a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul.  I've dreamed of meeting her all my life.  I never really supposed I would, but so many of my loveliest dreams have come true all at once that perhaps this one will, too.  Do you think it's possible?" -Anne of Green Gables

Last year I had the pleasure of meeting my kindred spirit, Abby, at our missions conference with Operation Mobilization (OM). We didn't know of our KS status at that time, but a lovely email correspondence relationship blossomed from there, bringing us to the place we now find ourselves :) It's nice to find someone who understands exactly where you are. In other words, it's good to have a friend who is about to undergo the same life change as you.

We have only spent parts of 10 days in each other's company, but you'd probably never know it. We keep each other up-to-date on where we are in our support raising, what we're nervous about regarding our respective moves to Africa (did I mention she'll be moving there too in January, Lord willing?!), what we're doing to prepare ourselves for for the inevitable, how far along we are in our pregnancy...ok, that one only applies to her. :) 

Todd and I were able to spend an evening/morning with Abby and her husband Jonathan last week on our way to Hilton Head, SC. They live in Aiken so we made a detour to get some more actual face time with our dear friends. I am so grateful to be headed to the massive continent of Africa with a pal, you know? It's funny...back this spring she sent me a message telling me there was a possibility that they could be serving in the tiny country of Lesotho. Do you know where Lesotho is on the massive continent of Africa? Let me show you...

See?! It's right there, right there at the very bottom of the continent surrounded by South Africa. Do you know who's moving to South Africa? Me! As an interesting point of trivia, we will live closer on the massive continent of Africa than we do here in the states. It's crazy to think about...boggles my little mind. 

It was so nice to get to talk in person...though, we've gotten pretty good at typing out our life's stories. Speaking of life's stories, Abby just got back from Mexico in September and brought this little nuget of gold back for me...our kindred spirit-ness also applies to our mutual love of baking:

Perhaps when I live in Africa, I can get some vanilla from Madagascar, too... 

We had a great visit and I look forward to the next, be it here or half a world away :) In the words of Anne Shirley, "Oh, I'm so glad she's pretty.  Next to being beautiful oneself--and that's impossible in my case--it would be best to have a beautiful bosom friend." :)