Loudon County Wineries!

After a long string of photo sessions and weddings, it was time to kick back and RELAX a bit at some Virginia wineries with some fabulous girlfriends!  So pretty (despite the rain!) and some delicious wine!  And of course I couldn't help take photos...;-) 2015-07-04_0001 2015-07-04_0002 2015-07-04_0003 2015-07-04_0004 2015-07-04_0005 2015-07-04_0006 2015-07-04_0007 2015-07-04_0008 2015-07-04_0009 2015-07-04_0010 2015-07-04_0011 2015-07-04_0012 2015-07-04_0013 2015-07-04_0014 2015-07-04_0015 2015-07-04_0016 2015-07-04_0017 2015-07-04_0018 2015-07-04_0019 2015-07-04_0020 2015-07-04_0021 2015-07-04_0022 2015-07-04_0023 2015-07-04_0024 2015-07-04_0025 2015-07-04_0026 2015-07-04_0027 2015-07-04_0028 2015-07-04_0029 2015-07-04_0030 2015-07-04_0031 2015-07-04_0032 2015-07-04_0033 2015-07-04_0034 2015-07-04_0035 2015-07-04_0036 2015-07-04_0037 2015-07-04_0038 2015-07-04_0039

The Popiel Family!

Have you ever heard the term "forever friend"?  It sounds like it could be straight out of some cheesy middle school novelette, but that would be appropriate since I met this "forever friend" at about that age. Sarah and I met when I was 12 years old at my very first trip to the beloved Triangle X Ranch (where I continue to go every year), and our friendship is one of the reasons the ranch stays so near and dear to my heart.  Our families came back year after year at the same time, and we'd look forward to our week at the ranch– riding horses, sitting on porches– just being goofy and sharing our lives and all the important things to us as teenagers.

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In-between vacations we'd faithfully write letter after letter– from Philadelphia to Tulsa– and we both have boxes full of letters that span the years to show for it–  something I will always treasure! (and pray no one else ever reads...)

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I call Sarah a "forever friend" because no matter how long the gaps are between seeing each other, it feels like no time has passed.  Even though we've lived a lot of life, we pick up right where we left off.

Sarah and her family made a trip out to DC last weekend and we had a BLAST!  I loved showing them my world and my city.  And I had the honor of taking their first official family photos!  So. much. fun.

I am forever grateful for this "forever friend"!

(no matter how cheesy that sounds!)

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