My Twin

On March 25th, Tim Ballard (OUR founder and modern day hero!) shared on social media that they've finally brought home their two adopted children from Haiti. It's been a 3 and a half year process. He helped save these two children from being trafficked and made sure that they were kept together as brother and sister, and now they are part of his family.

Another picture he shared recently - "My two 8 year old girls, who share a room, and now a life together, INSIST they are twins, and nobody (including their combative older brothers) can tell them otherwise.🤣"

Isn't that the cutest? (here's another adorable video of those sweet girls! Salt and pepper!) Well, I saw that picture and I just loved it, and I know how those girls feel, cause I've got a twin too. My twin, Nicole. You can see the resemblance, right?

Corey took this picture of us and said, as he handed me back the phone/camera "...separated at birth..." (I had to crop the photo cause Lily photo bombed us. You're cute Lil, but I didn't want you in the shot!)

Okay okay, I admit there's also a height difference between Nicole and I, but other than that, twins! Right?!? It's true! When I don't know what I want or think, all I have to do is call Nicole, give her the details, and just like that, problem solved. We share a brain. Only she has a lot more energy than me. She's here in Utah for General Conference again cause she took a road trip again cause she's superwoman. She drove out here from Maine in 2012 and again in 2014, and a really fun surprise birthday visit in 2016. I need to drive back east to visit her one of these times. Especially cause Virginia is my true home. Might be easier if I had the sweet set of wheels that she has!

Do you feel the mom-envy too? "You're so lucky!"

So Nicole's been out here in Utah for a week, but she's a popular lady that's up and doing, so she had people to see and things to do. We were lucky that she stayed with us at the end of her trip. They slept over last night and Nicole was going to head out yesterday but we talked them into another night. The kids played legos, we stayed up talking with each other and with Corey (they talked while I decluttered, I said it's just like our relationship is right now, talking on the phone while we get stuff done!) This morning for the last hurrah we went to the temple to do a session together, just like on those Arizona mission P-days so many years ago.

Two nights of fun and she really did have to get headed home (just a 40 hour drive) so, alas, time to bid farewell. We quickly try to recreate our picture on the stairs from 5+ years ago, only half of my kids are gone, all growing up and out having social lives or something. Yeah, pretty sad showing by the Wride clan here.

So, we're trying to talk them into buying Elder Christofferson's house across the street, cause that would just be perfect. Hey, a mom can dream. I guess it might not happen in this life, but we'll be neighbors in heaven for sure, Love you Nicole!