Those kinds of friends

There is something special about those friends that you have known forever. You know the ones. The friends that taught you how to tie your shoes. The friends that learned how to read before you and so would read the books to you. The friends that got their license a whole year before you turned 16 and kept all the secrets from that year. The friends that witnessed your first school girl crush on Todd Georffey that moved away before he could break your heart. The friends that know your family almost as well as you do.

Some people weren't blessed by those kinds of friendships. But I was not one of those unfortunate ones. My dad didn't serve in the army or move all over with his work. Quite the opposite in fact. These friends all go 'home to Christmas' to the same house they grew up in. These friends’ families have had the same post office box in town since we first learned our address in school. These friends co-op numbers have not changed (my dad's is 765 in case anyone is driving through Southey and needs to fill with gas).


Not everything has stayed the same though. We have left and found our own way. Some have married and born children. We have loved, lost, grieved and celebrated. Each of these events has changed us, some ever so slightly, and others more than we will ever share with most people.


Regardless of how much we all have changed, we still choose to be friends. There is still something amongst us that binds us together. That gives us permission to speak into each other's lives. To dream together. To draw strength from each other. To love each other and accept each other as we are.


So ladies - this is to each of you. It was a blessing to be together last weekend. We may not have many photos to document the weekend. Our matching purchases are not for everyone to notice. However, we have some new memories to add to the wealth of old ones. We had many laughs. And until we meet again, you all know you are in my thoughts and prayers!


I love you girls dearly.