I met Rebecca at a youth bible school, many a FEW years ago, when we were barely out of our teens, both still single, leaving our mark and making our own fun in our then tiny, conservative world…she was confident and fun, better known as “Becky” and I was a confused rebel kid, trying to find my place or rather, the loopholes in the system.
She seemed different than the rest of the girls, and I was automatically drawn to her outspokenness, and confidence. She was someone I respected, and wanted to get to know from the start.
My sister and I stayed at the same place as her and some of her siblings, and in one week, she had become a friend that I admired not only for her dry cracks of humor, but also for the grace with which she carried herself.
We built a mutual circle of friends over the next several years, events and bible schools, and eventually we spread our wings, traveled, moved away, lost our dads and we lost contact. Life happened.
In the meantime, “Becky” morphed into Rebecca, and did the unthinkable-she got married to a guy she met from a dating site and ended up happily ever after moving to-you guessed it-Colorado!
Now here we are, five years later, back in each other’s lives, with our husbands and our two kids, just a few towns away from each other.
She has since popped out two of the most gorgeous babies besides my own, and made a beautiful little home for them and her husband, John, on their tiny suburban lot on the North side of Denver.
In fact, when I first stepped into it, I remembered all the reasons why I liked her so much and why we had become friends. It was like walking into Pinterest, but better, because it was filled to the brim with hand-painted inspiration, and homegrown dreams that had sprouted into reality and into every crevice of her life and mine. There was not a single corner untouched by her artistic nature.
I kinda wanted to move in, actually. It was so sweet.
I should have known because, that is Rebecca.
She is creative and passionate, always looking for something to add her touch to, and dramatic in all the right ways.
She loves spending quality time with those she loves, and is the happiest when she’s “making something beautiful” and “blessing others.”
She adores those gorgeous babes, Jazmyne (4) and Cassia (1) and they keep her busy enough, but she still makes time to do all of the above.
She chose these objects for her photo shoot, because “as a busy mom of two littles, a pacifier and rubber ducky are in use on a daily basis. The chalk paint represents my need of a creative outlet. I love to take something old and breathe new life and beauty into it,” she says.
Well I’d have to agree, and that pretty much sums up Rebecca.
She describes her life right now as “answered prayer” and goes on to say that her dream is to start her own interior design business and to continue to stay at home with her children…and “way more than fits here” she adds, with a smile.
The best thing she’s learned from Motherhood is “the beauty of sacrifice, and finally and fully comprehending the love our Heavenly Father has in sacrificing for His children.”
Rebecca’s life is definitely one of sacrifice, but not without beauty. Her husband has a serious, life-threatening lung disease, which has taken them to the emergency room many times, and she has spent equally as many nights by his side, praying and caring for him. Those are difficult times, but they never dampen her spirit or squelch her passion.
In fact, that’s when Rebecca shines the most. Her creativity comes out in the worst of times, her grace shines through on the darkest days, and she takes it all on with a sense of humor, and a paintbrush. That’s how she lives and loves her life.
She has a way of making the world a bit brighter, and making even the ugliest things beautiful.
And that’s why I love her.
(Blessings, dear Rebecca! You’ve brought so much friendship, laughter, and beauty to my life, and I am deeply grateful for you! You keep me smiling…thank you, my friend!)
Note: All photo credits belong to Thalyta and Thalyta Swanson Photography, rights reserved. If you would like to share this, or any part of this content, please link back to this article, in its original entirety. Thank you! So we can all stay happy.:) -Ruthie