The Blessing of Friends

All my life I have wanted a best friend. Growing up, I always seemed to feel on the outside of the "in" groups. Perhaps because I was mature and got good grades, I found it hard to make friends. In any case, as a little girl, I would often come home crying saying that I didn't have any friends. When my mom would name off the people that I sometimes hung out with I would promptly answer her with,"But I want a best friend. The type of friend that calls me first."

It was a while before I found that friend. In high school I became friends with Paula, whom I met at church. She went to a different school than I did but only lived a few minutes away from me. Over the course of our sophomore through senior years in high school we were inseparable. Before we could drive our parents would drive us to one another's houses. When we got our licenses (Paula first) we would get together immediately after school let out. Some of my most fun memories are with Paula - coloring in our special coloring books, lip syncing to Amy Grant, driving to see William in Seattle, going to camp, a missions trip to Mexico, crushes, boyfriends, graduation and going off to college.

Over the years we have been in touch off and on. She and her husband who is a youth pastor have moved around Canada quite a bit and more recently, since we've each had children, we have enjoyed keeping up to date with one another.

I have had the blessing of having several special friends in my life. They are not numerous - I can count them on one hand. They are the ones who have supported me, prayed for me, cleaned out my bean pots, been in my wedding, cried at the birth of my children, laughed at my jokes, been honest with me, forgiven me... they are each treasures that I hold dear. What a creative gift the Lord has given us.

One of these friends is my dear Amy. She is most faithful in prayer for me. She encourages me in parenting and homeschooling, she drinks margaritas with me and compliments me on how cute my hair is (even when it's not). We'll let you all in on a little secret - we're praying one day we'll be in-laws. I figure the more children we have, the better our odds get.

Amy and her Clan


Our Little Fam


We're also doing our best to make sure our kids don't come home crying that they don't have any friends.

Ethan and Steele


Adia and Ava


The Whole Bunch of 'Em.