Friendships

I have been thinking a lot about friends lately. I go through phases of stuff like that. Sometimes I get really busy and don't think about much other then what is going on in my life at that time. But at times, something will happen that makes me think of that person or that one.. where are they, what are they doing, do they miss me. I think of things we used to do when I am doing that same thing. Or I will be watching something on tv and it will remind me of when I used to watch a show with someone.

I guess what set this "mood" this time was I got an email from a very old and dear friend of mine last night. I had not heard from her in years. But going through Facebook the other week I had gone through and typed in her name and different variations of her name. There were quite a few and so I sent them all a generic message saying hey is this you? I never expected to find her but she did reply and you could hear me cheer all over the house!!!!

But it made me think of how I tend to close off my heart to new friends over the years. Everyone of my closest bestest friends have all moved away from me (I swear I do use deodorant and toothpaste on a regular basis!!) and each time I swear I will never get close again. But somehow someone always manages to worm their way into my heart and it opens again.

So today, this post is a dedication to the women that I call my sisters. We have cried together, we have laughed together, we have shared together (and no that is NOT called gossiping!)and you have all helped me get through bad times and shared the good ones as well. Thanks for coming into my heart when I needed you the most.



This is Carmen. We truly are Spirit Sisters. And it is ironic as the first time I met her was at church and she was teaching a lesson. She seemed standoffish. I knew our son Kim knew her and her husband when they lived here so I called him that day and say hey what can you tell me about her. He said do not let first impressions fool you. She is nothing like that at all. He was right. She will defend her friends and family with a passion you can never imagine. We are so alike even though I have grandkids older then her children. We are both critical of ourselves, both perfectionists, both anal retentive lol. But I love her dearly. She was there for me when I decided to come back to church and opened up her arms to love me unconditionally. I will never forget that.



This is Dusty. She came in my life back in Sask. I refused for so long to give into her friendship! My previous bestest friends had moved away and I really thought I was going to die from the heartache. She was the opposite of me. She was a female version of Keith. In fact we used to kid around that we had the wrong spouses. She was the one who had the water fights in the summer with Keith while her hubby and I sat and visited lol. But she kept annoying me till I gave into her friendship. We joke around now that we couldn't bear to be away from each other so when one decided to move to BC we all moved together. Her youngest daughter is my namesake. I had never had anyone name their child after me. This same child is getting married next month.



This is Jan. We met here in BC just after we decided to move back to Surrey from Vancouver. We were at a party and started talking. We got talking about being overweight and I told her you know what? This is who I am. If people can't see beyond my weight to be my friend that's their loss. We haven't stopped talking since. Before they moved to Calgary we used to do everything together. I miss our Sunday dinners, our movie nights and especially our Survivor nights. She too loves me unconditionally and I can unload every single burden onto her shoulders and she takes them every time without question.



This is Jude. She is my very oldest friend. We met in Regina also when Keith and I moved in next door to each other. We talked so much on the phone the men hung an intercom system in our homes so we could stay off the phone. In all the homes I have ever lived in she is the only one that has ever come to my door to say hi welcome to the neighborhood. We have survived through real heart attacks, tornadoes, floods, and loud husbands. We survived car fars and our own language that no one could understand but us. I miss her the most.



This is Betty Lou. She is the one I thought I had lost. I met her when we first moved to BC 19 years ago. She was my shopping friend and we lived in Bellingham in those days. We met in a family history class and realized we were actually related!! She was with me when we drove to Salt Lake City to take our son on his 2 year mission. She was there when we drove away and I couldn't stop crying. She was there when I tried to put together Keith's surprise 40th birthday party. She was there when I was bed ridden for 6 weeks one time and took over the household. I have missed you dear friend.

I am loyal to my friends. I know a lot of women but I am close to very few. Those I do take into my heart I would defend with my life. I trust them with every ounce of me and that means the world to me. Thanks.. You mean the world to me even when we haven't seen one another as much as we would like.

(Now I just hope I have the right pictures with the right names :)