welcome to the team

In 2008 I went to a concert with my new friends, the Wardles. Someone else tagged along for that trip - a rather funny girl named Mallory Eggebrecht.

There she is on the left. (Sorry Mal - not our most glamorous shot)

That night was memorable in more ways that one, and at the time we seemed like a pretty random group of people to attend a concert together. Eventually though, some of them became members of the team, one of them being my sweet friend Mallory. 

Mallory and I have been part of a group of friends that developed over my last three years at Ashland. Many of them are now here in Redding, but some are also still in Ohio. Mallory has been such a significant part of my journey and my journey with Jimmy. She was part of a group of people that became family, the group that walked with us through dating and engagement. She actually helped coordinate most of the happenings of the night we got engaged. She was there when wedding planning was difficult. She has been a rock and such a covenant friend.

Last January Mallory and I went to get dinner at Lyn-Way in Ashland, our favorite little comfort-food diner spot. She told me that the Lord was moving her to open her heart to being vulnerable in an unexpected way. She signed up for EHarmony. She was brave and courageous and although it was sometimes difficult she stuck with it. We admired her ability to risk for love and to trust the Lord.

Shortly after the most amazing, hilarious man came into the picture. Matthew Beres. We met Matt at Panera after having dinner for my birthday in Wooster. We laughed the entire time. We knew this guy was different. Mallory lit up around him. He challenged her. He treated her with amazing respect and honor and love. We felt like he was part of the team.

It didn't take long to know where they were headed. We shared some of the sweetest moments from our spring in Ashland with them. They brought us to Amish country. Matt introduced us to some of his amazing team there. Matt and Jimmy drank horse minerals together (don't ask). We laughed. A lot.

Today Mallory & Matt are getting married. It will be beautiful. It is so hard for us to not be able to be there. 

The hard part about moving across the country is the things that you can't be a part of. Grandpa's 70th birthday, my brothers on homecoming court, friends' weddings. Team is important to us. We hate missing out on team events. 

But we love the Beres'. From across the country we bless them with all the joy and adventure and deepening friendship that these next months, years and their lifetime will hold. Today we celebrate you in our hearts (and I try to hold back my tears). We celebrate your obedience and faithfulness to what God called you to. We celebrate your willingness to risk on each other, on new adventures, on moves and decisions to follow your hearts. 

We love you both.

Welcome to the team (officially), Matt. 

(This probably seems so overly sappy. It's mostly therapeutic. We mostly love to celebrate the team, even if it's through a sappy blog post.)