A few years ago, we started hosting a Bible study on Monday nights in our living room. It was small. Just us and two other couples we already knew, but our ultimate goal was to grow our little group to a few more couples who shared our faith, wanted a similar future for our families, and had a common vision for living a life that’s about more than ourselves, but loving and serving others. After not too long, one of the original three couples suggested adding a new couple to the mix. They promised us we’d love them. And, boy, were they right. From the first night we met Kelsey and Eric, it was so clear that they were our kind of people.
Eric is a driven and determined professional. He’s outgoing and gregarious. When he walks into a room, the energy just lifts. He’s passionate and forward-thinking. He has big ideas, big dreams and big goals for his life. He’s the kind of friend who pushes you and challenges you to be the best version of yourself. Jordan is a better man today because of Eric’s presence in our home the past two years.
Kelsey is a little softer and quieter, but if you’re listening, one of the funniest people you’ll ever meet. Her dry wit and sarcasm is matched only by her comedic timing, which is usually (deservedly) at Eric’s expense. She’s an involved, dedicated, hard-working mom who gives their two sons exactly what they need: so much of her. Her time. Her attention. And her love. As a friend, we know few people in the world as thoughtful as Kelsey. She has a unique gift for making people feel seen and heard. She’s a natural cheerleader and encourager. If every person on the planet had a friend like Kelsey, no one would ever feel lonely again.
This summer, over dinner, on a Monday evening before our small group started, we told Eric and Kelsey we were pregnant with our second baby. As the words left our mouth, we could tell something was up. They had news to share with us as well. They were pregnant, too! Our due dates were only one week apart. A few weeks later, we got even better news: we were both having our first girls!
Eric and Kelsey, we love doing life with you. It’s crazy that we didn’t even know you two years ago, yet it feels like you’ve always been there. We feel so blessed to have you in our living room a few times a month to share our marriage ups and downs, our parenting wins and losses, and this world’s trials and triumphs. It’s a privilege to navigate it together. Now that our small group is five amazing couples strong, we can’t picture our life without it! We’re so excited especially to raise our daughters together. Our DAUGHTERS. Isn’t that so fun and surreal to say? We love you both and hope you always look back on these photos as a beautiful reminder of your life as a family of four. Your daughter won life’s lottery to be born into it.
