Friendship and Florence

Today is my friend Sarah's 30th birthday. She and I met on the campus of Augustana College almost twelve years ago when we were paired together as roommates our freshman year. We were a odd match from the beginning. She liked to hit the snooze button (a lot). I was a morning person. I was in 4-H and spent a summer in the Montana wilderness. She grew up in a Chicago suburb.
Never underestimate God's wisdom because we turned out to be the best of friends.
We started a bible study together as well as a Habitat for Humanity chapter. We even pledged the same sorority.
Our junior year we both participated in a school foreign term in Vienna, Austria. Those were three exciting and memorable months!
Sarah's birthday fell during our spring break trip. We were in Florence at the time. Every year on this day I think of Sarah and this next picture. What a way to memorialize a 21st birthday!


It's hard to put into words what a big part of my life Sarah has been so I'll use pictures instead.





It's a good thing we took a ski class together our Sophomore year so we could ski the Alps in Innsbruck.


You know you're good friends when you spend 24/7 together and still like each other.
Here we are overlooking Paris from the Arc de Triomphe.


Sarah is always up for an adventure. One day in hopes of finding a new place to study we ventured out to a new coffee shop. It was closed when we arrived, but we still manged to get our homework done. She is so smart! I always did better in my classes because of her. It was also because of her that I got involved in InterVarsity. I've always been inspired by her faith in the Lord.

Speaking of adventure......maps in Venice are a joke so we would hop on a water taxi and hope that eventually we'd find our way home.

Sarah and I went on two Habitat for Humanity spring break trips together.
Who better to sit in a van with for 24 hours on the way to Florida!!





After graduation we still stayed in touch. She's great about calling to check in with me.
One year we both went back to Augie for homecoming. (This is of us at the parade.)



It was an honor to have Sarah stand up for me at my wedding.
She drove all the way from St. Louis to be there for me!


Happy 30th Birthday Sarah!!!!