What a truly remarkable friend!

Jocelyn and I met in Biology class our freshman year, first semester at Mount Vernon.  We started out just studying together but it grew into one of the most beautiful friendships.  {Thank you Lord!}  I know I say this all the time, but truly Jocelyn and her friendship means the absolute world to me.  Because I went to a very, very small high school (yeah, I mean small - 32 kids in my graduating class), you were either in or out.  Because of several reasons but one being my faith, I was definitely on the out.  High school was a very painful experience in terms of friends.  Once I got to college though I was amazed with all the possibilities of friendship.  Jocelyn taught me so much about being a true, honest, real friend and challenged me in my faith.  There was no room for status quo in our friendship our in journey towards a deeper relationship with Christ.  What is so incredible is that this is true for today as well.  We have certainly had our bumps and bruises along the way because life is just like that.  However, my favorite time when I get with Joc is to sit and talk about real things, our real feelings, our real thoughts knowing there is only love, friendship, & Christ's presence in the room.  Because of my friendship with her, I have learned how to truly be a friend to others.

Jocelyn is one of the most amazing women I know!

These pictures are of her with her children and then our children together.

She and her husband, Peter, had two boys then felt called to adopt from Guatemala.  Once they moved back to the Chicago area they signed up and were trained to become foster parents.  Because of Peter's ability to speak fluent Spanish, they were approved to foster hispanic children.  It has been a journey, a fabulous one of God's goodness and faithfulness even though at times it has been full of pain & sorrow, to which they are now adopting both of their foster children!  The time we were able to spend together was incredible!