Thankful for Friends

In honor of November, I'm going to take a few minutes to give thanks to the people that I call friends! It's kind of funny to me how friendship works. When I was younger I had friends that I thought were going to be my best friends forever. As I've grown and realized what being a friend is about some of those people have faded from my life and new friends have filled those spaces. People I never thought I'd be close to are now good friends of mine and some are gone for good.

I'm not a real emotional person face to face so writing how I feel has always been easier for me. Because of this, I have rarely taken the time to tell most of these individuals how I feel about then or what they mean to me. I'm going to take this opportunity to do that one by one.

First and foremost, my very best friend, my brain sharer, my evil twin (ok so we flip flop that title lol) CHRISTA... yes I'm gonna get all sappy on you so just deal with it, you know you love to hear it, you just dont like to say it out loud hahaha (see told ya'll ... twins). Seriously when I first met you what like 4-5 years ago when I was pregnant with Joshua I never would have imagined you'd be my closest friend. We cracked up at how much alike we were but until joining The Dollhouse it was just a pretty cool friend that was a lot like me. Now I can honestly say there is no one in the world I trust more than you (besides family of course - i'm talking non blood/husband stuff here)! I know no matter what I can always text or email you and talk out whatever i'm feeling and you'll be there to laugh at me, give me advice, talk me through whatever it is, etc. I know that if i'm complaining and i'm right you'll back me and if i'm just being an ass you'll tell me I'm being an ass in the oh so Christaly nice way you do haha. There's no one i've ever called my best friend that had that "thing" like us. I say "thing" bc I really dont know how to describe our crazy brain sharing madness we posses lmao. Pretty sure we were supposed to be made more different than a love or hate for sushi and hair color lmao. Anyway I love you to the moon and back like a gazillion trillion million times and THANK YOU for being you and being my best friend!

GOOFY KRISTEN: 2 years ago when Crystal told me she was staying in New Orleans and it was just going to be me and you on the drive home I could have kicked her! I was so nervous about that drive. We had hung out a ton, played soccer on the same teams, and gotten to know each other over the last several years, but I didn't really consider you a "friend" and wasn't really sure how that was gonna turn out lol. Now, I'm soooooooooo unbelievably thankful that she did! It gave us a chance without anyone else to really get to know each other!  It's the first time i'd ever talked for like 10 hours straight since I was a boy crazy 13 year old lol. Now you have become one of my closest friends in the world! It's seriously hard for me to imagine a time where we weren't friends even though it really hasn't been THAT long ago! I always talk about my wedding day like you were there and it's weird to me that you weren't part of it. You've been a fantastic friend and I love you so much. You give to our friendship exactly what you want to receive back and that's trust, support, love, encouragement, and time. You take the time, even when I suck at it, to text me just to see whats going on or touch base and I love you for that so much. You've been a huge help to me with Joshua during soccer games, parties, and over the summer when I needed a sitter for a couple days... I dont know many ppl that would have done that other than you! you are one of the most thoughtful, loving people I know and I'm soooo thankful you're a huge part of my life. I wouldn't be the same without you!

TIFF: I pretty much could have written you and Kristen on the same one haha. Being friends with Crystal made being friends with you an off and on kind of thing. Just when I'd get to know you and start to like you she'd pick a fight and you know the drill with that. I am thankful that things happened the way they did and I decided I was done choosing. After being around you for so many years I really just genuinely liked you. You've never been anything but nice to me and always included me in everything that she was invited to. Become such good friends over the last year has really showed me who my real friends are. You and Kristen are the people that I really know are just going to be my life long friends here! I was really actually pretty worried when we went to different teams that I wouldn't be as close to ya'll anymore but it's just proved that our friendship is strong and we are always going to be there for each other! I love you and your entire family dearly. Since getting involved last year with the St Jude Walk and starting the TAKL group together I've felt a real love for your family. Chelsea's passing broke my heart bc we'd all become so involved but more so bc I knew how much pain you and your family were feeling. I love you guys so much and I'm really excited to do more with our group and help more kids like Chelsea!

BRI: Oh my goodness, where to even start with you LOL! I have Christa who is my identical twin and I have you that is pretty much my POLAR OPPOSITE!  We are sooooo unbelievably different from each other! When I first joined TD and met you I was pretty sure we'd never really be friends. After meeting you in Dallas I was like man I really like this chick. You were soooo far out of your comfort zone and that Saturday night when you kind of snapped at me I was like ok, she's got some fire in her lol. I knew right then it didn't matter how different we were, we would be friends. I didn't think we'd be as close as we are now though! I haven't wanted to say this bc I felt like it would kind of make me look bad but oh well, it is what it is... Since being friends with you, I have become so much more tolerable of other people. Before when I'd hear ppl were certain faiths or came from certain walks of life I'd kinda distance myself from them but talking to you and learning so much about where you come from and realizing how much I have grown to adore you I realized that I running the risk of pushing great people away bc of an intolerance that is not only just flat out rude, but Biblically wrong! You have no idea how much you have actually taught me about myself and about life in general just through our conversations! I absolutely LOVE the person that you are. You are the sweetest person I have ever met in my life. You are so caring and so loving. You are the most selfless person I've met too! You would give the shirt off your back for someone you love just bc they needed it. That's so rare to find in a person these days.  I thank God all the time that He opened my eyes through you. I truly think I'm a nicer person because of you! I love you so much!

PAO: My most beautiful lady lover I never had hahahaha, you my dear are beyond words (but i'm gonna try). I absolutely LOVE YOU! You are incredibly beautiful, feisty as hell (which I LOVE), honest no matter what, and all around FANTASTIC! I know that we can go weeks without really talking and then when we do its like we just talked yesterday! I know that you're always there for me and would bend over backwards to make me happy bc it makes you happy to see those you love happy! You know I'd do the same for you too! Yeah my post yesterday was funny but legit, if people knew how much back ally hookers loved crack they'd say thats a whole lot of damn lovin right there hahaha! You make the worlds most beautiful children and I can NOT wait to meet my new nephew ;)! BLUE DUST COMING YOUR WAY!!! You embody everything I wish I was in a mother. I am a good mom, but you are so far beyond that. I have never seen love for a child like you have for your girls. I dont think there is anything more beautiful in the world that watching you talk about those babies. You have a personality that is larger than life. I love that you are a strong woman that stands tall and carries herself with power yet I know there's a sensitve side that very few get to see that makes you vulnerable. I love that side of you as much as the big bold side! You have become one of my very best friends and I love you sooooooooo much! See you in April!!!!

MEAGHEN: I've literally known you almost my whole life. I dont know if theres much I can say that I didn't already say in your bday letter lol but i'm gonna put some of it here anyway. For 22 years you have NEVER turned your back on me. I've been a horrible friend at times and you just held steadfast in your love for me.  People like you dont exist! You're the only friend I had at my baby shower. That's an event that i'll remember for the rest of my life. I was so distraught that the people I called my best friends didn't show but you did! Like I said in my letter it's taken me a REALLY Long time to realize what I had as a friend in you! I am so grateful that you are you and that you are my oldest friend! We've literally gone through everything together! You were there for me in grade school, jr high, high school, dads passing in college, my baby shower, my wedding, and now as adults! I love you so much! I wish you could see the beautiful person you are sometimes! God made a gem with you and a beautiful one! You are amazing in so many ways! I love you so much and I know we'll still be talking about jump roap kidnapping when we're old and i'm sporting a blinged out pink wheel chair! Love you babe with all my heart!!!!

GARZA: Awe my garza larza!!! My bestest man friend EVER! I ♥ you so much! I am soooo damn proud of you too! You courageously served our country on your 2 tours and still took the time to call me when you could! We've come a long way from the days of school bus torture lol! I'm so thankful that you're still a part of my life. You have always been a great friend to me and always been there for good and bad. I am so happy you found a beautiful woman that loves and was actually willing to get to know me. I am looking forward to wedding bells some day lol. Thank you for being you and being my friend. My life wouldn't be the same without you!

JEN: My bffnmhfa!!!! I love you so damn much!!! I am soooo thankful for FB bc I was pretty sure you were lost forever!! I'm even more excited that you moved back bc we've gotten to spend so much more time together!! I absolutely love seeing you with those girls. You have taken on that role with such pride and do a wonderful job. Tarah is really lucky to have a woman like you. I am so thankful that God put you in my life 15 years ago! OMG 15 can you believe that?!?!? AHHH, we're getting old. Anyway, thank you for being you and being one of my best friends! Love you, Tarah, and the girls so much!!!

These are the people that I would call my BEST friends. Yes, there are like 7-8 of them but they are all the best to me. Besides these few people there are so many more of you that I love dearly that I am so thankful to have in my life. If I wrote a love note to all of you i'd be here all day so I'm just going to list some of ya'll, if I miss anyone i'm sorry.

Tami, Janna, Whit, Stacy, and ALL my TD girls I love you guys so much. Thanks for being a part of my life.
Rick & Christina - I love and adore ya'll and am so thankful to have ya'll as friends.
Roxy & Alyssa - I miss ya'll terribly but am very thankful you're still in my life.
Michelle - we've been through so much and you'll always be my sister!
Aly - I've known you all my life! LITERALLY! I love you and am really proud of you!


So there ya have it. Again, i'm sorry if I left anyone out. I really am so thankful for the friends I've been blessed with! You ALL are amazing!