I Miss My Friend...

Have you ever had a friend that is more like your own flesh and blood than just a friend?

I have that friend. Today is her birthday. Her present is in the mail, and I will be calling her later to wish her a blessed day, but we are more than ten hours away from each other.

Some days-it is just too much. Like today...

I can visualize the moment I first saw her. My sister (who attended church with her) suggested we meet because she imagined us as friends. We met at the library. I just looked at her, knew she was the one my sister had talked so highly about. I was able to pick her out of the crowd...I think it was her smile that radiated up into her friendly eyes. (She just looked like the nicest person!)...

Without trying hard, we just "got" each other. We became the closest of girlfriends, and our little boys became the fastest of friends. When my second son was born, she told me she was expecting her second baby. Selfishly, I prayed it was another boy for her too! (It was! How great! Two sets of best friends...It could not have been more perfect.) Our kids attended preschool together, and playgroups together, and our oldest boys attended kindergarten together as well. Several nights, their whole family spent the night at our house and we had sleep-overs. When I had my third little boy, she was the one who put her life on hold for a few days. She stayed at my house, and watched my older two sons.

My dear friend and her boys spent a week every summer with us at our cottage. Our boys were wild hooligans together,playing in the sand and water, climbing trees, hunting in the forest for frogs- They loved each other as dearly as we did. My friend and I would watch movies, eat popcorn, and have a glass or two of wine together. And we would laugh. Sometimes we laughed so hard-we cried!

We also had a spiritual connection. We attended different churches, even different denominations-but it was never an issue. We discussed verses that meant something to us, or prayed together over our kids, husbands, and life situations. We traded devotionals, and uplifting songs. We just were encouragement to each other on a daily basis for seven years...

Then her husband took a job transfer ten hours away...She told me at the kid's school, and we both broke down and cried. That day ranks as one of my worst. Then I had to tell my boys. They took it just as hard. Tin Man tried to cheer me up by singing, "Friends" by Michael W. Smith. (If you have a friend that is moving-DON"T listen to this song...unless you have someone who can give you a hug!)Every time he would see me in tears, he would sing it. Eventually, it did make me laugh through my tears.

Now, we talk on the phone for hours at a time. (It's never a short call unless we lose a cell phone signal!) We take the same Beth Moore Bible Studies and discuss them on the phone. She keeps tabs on my blog to see what we're all doing. Twice a year, my boys and I go visit her and her boys. (Tin Man has stayed home watching the baby, and now the dog, too.) The ten hour drive is worth every minute just to be with my friend. We catch each other up on the last six months we missed. We stay up late talking, and talking... All four boys walk in the door, and disappear together -showing each other the newest toys, and rooms. For a few days, it's like old times.

I know I've talked your ear off, (Thanks for listening to me!) but I even made a video of our time together from last fall. (I must have more free time that you think. It's funny that in all the years we've been friends, we don't have many pictures together. It is me taking one of her and her boys, or her capturing one of my boys and me!)

Here's a peek into one of our Virginia trips-with our favorite song playing. * NOTE: PLEASE PRESS PAUSE ON THE MUSIC AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE-I AM SORRY IT IS EXTRA WORK FOR YOU, BUT WHAT IF I TELL YOU IT'S WORTH IT TO HEAR/SEE THE VIDEO? (It is!!! We hiked up the Peak's of Otter!) Hope you take a minute to view it:

Happy Birthday, dear Friend.

You know how much I love you, and miss you & your boys.

I hope today is a special one for you.

"Here, There, or In the Air..."

(...Who's missing a piece of her heart. She left it in Virginia with her friend...)