dear friend,

We were connected by our single mom life.    Our Lifegroup was unique and a good support system as we muddled through our parenting.    I am thankful that you walked along the journey with me and the other girls that crossed our path.    You were a consistent face amongst the others that came and went. 
I enjoyed our individual chats as moms and our group activities with the kids.   
Looking back, I can honestly say that we were a fun group!   I have fond memories of our holiday frolicking, meals shared, games played…. especially the infamous kick-ball game!

Thank you so much for sharing your family with me.     It was neat to watch our kids grow together.
Thank you for entrusting me with your son for such lengthy periods of time.   I loved him like my own.  It was a privilege to care for him while your plate was so full.
Team Zack! 
Dare I mention how much fuller your plate became when the bones were broken!  Oops.

It was an honor to bear witness at your wedding and watch your little family grow.
 I have admired your own growth as you have gone through many ups and downs over the years.     It has not been easy and I have seen your faith grow as you are learning to lean in to God through the tough situations.   Keep at it.     God has big plans for you.

Though we don’t see each other often these days, I am thankful for the times that we get together.    
It’s been a blessing to have you, and your family, as a part of my journey!

 

dear friend,

We met when I was fresh out of community college.  I was ready to face the world of early education.   You were my first lead in the field, and you were an amazing mentor!    I considered you SO much older and wiser.  Haha.  I remember when we celebrated your 30^th birthday!

We went through several life changes during my three years at Elizabeth’s.     You were a great support during my early marriage and pregnancy.   And I was glad when you confided in me during some very dark moments.    
I look back, and have fond memories of our time in the Purple house! 

Deservingly, you became the boss.   You were a great boss!  I appreciated how you never lost touch with the classroom.      Your love for children and your love for your co-workers was evident. 

I’m so thankful that we have kept in touch over the years.    

After Thayer’s death, I remember how you would leave the kindest voice messages at my house.   Just checking in… no need to return the call.     You’ll never know how much those message meant to me.   You have always been such a support to me, even when you don’t realize it.    It’s the little things that mean so much!

It’s been great to watch God knit your little family together.   You have a talented husband and your boy is becoming a young man!

I look forward to our lunch dates and our catching up!   You always know the right questions to ask and you have always been one of my biggest cheerleaders.  Thank you for always being a bright spot in my life.  You are a blessing to me!

     

dear friend,

You were the best example in our yoga class.   I enjoyed learning yoga with you and laughing our way through the classes.
 It was great that you agreed to visit our Sunday night group.   And even greater that you kept coming back!     
You completed our tribe!

I love that you take all of the crazy in, swirl it around, and then speak your wisdom into our lives.   Thank you for your listening ears, your thoughtful remarks, and your witty interjections.
When we give you the floor… you are spot on.   

You have impressed me with your perspective on life and I admire the deep sacrifices you make for your family.    You have to be the rock, even if you don’t want to… and you stay so focused on your tasks.
Your journey tugs at my heart and I know that there are great things in store for you!   You deserve so much happiness.

I love that you are the “mom” when we travel.  I know you don’t like that role, but you are the coolest, calmest decision maker.   Thank you for gathering our scattered thoughts, making dinner reservations, being our guide, keeping us moving forward, and keeping us in line.

You have a great memory and are very thoughtful with your actions, your gifting, and your time.

You are such a blessing to me.  Thanks for being a part of my story.

dear friend,

  

I have been honored to have known you since elementary school.    The girl who was voted “most popular” in middle school...yeah… I was her side kick.  
I remember sleepovers at your “haunted” house, talking about boys, gossiping about girls, and visiting your father’s grave.     We have history together and I’m glad that I know yours.  

We lost track for a brief moment over the high school years.    I remember re-connecting at Hardees and at Community College.   I remember showing up at your house, before daybreak, to do the MTV Grind workout!

I love that we have always been able to pick up where we left off.     I think our history bonds us in a way that we will always be family.     You are one of those unique lifetime friends. 

I love your appreciation for music and lyrics. I love that you take the time to really listen to lyrics and find songs that seem to fit with your current state.   I have vague flashbacks of singing Eternal Flame by the Bangles and wailing out Alanis Morissette songs, back in the day.  Even now, though we mostly have tons of conversations in the car, I enjoy when you point out a song that speaks to you.    I like that you are my dictionary friend… that we have “words” in common.

You have been a great support to me and my boys, welcoming us into your family.     Thank you for loving my boys and treating them like your own.     We have loved vacationing with your family, sharing meals, going to movies, and just hanging out over the years.       You have always challenged me to see the best of each situation, often reminding me of the blessings that are right in front of me.

I’ve witnessed your ups and downs over the years.   You have amazing resilience.   I’m excited to see what God has in store for you!     You are a blessing to me.

dear friend,

I’ve known you as long as I can remember.    I assume we met in the church nursery.   Children’s choir, plays, music camps, sleepovers.   And youth group.    We had some awesome times in youth group!

I remember visiting you in college and always getting together when possible.  
Weddings and babies.   I loved coming to visit you with my boys in tow.   I know I often overstayed my welcome… but you and your boys were so fun to hang out with!    You were the best hostess and we always felt at home in your home.    I’m so glad that we continued our visits as our boys grew up.

We both became single parents.   Something we never, ever expected.  
We could commiserate and empathize with each other.     You were such an encouragement to me.  Your unwavering faith is such an inspiration.    I love how you have continually held on to Jesus through all of the dark and unsure moments.   

I love the plan that God has unfolded for you and the boys.    It was a blessing to witness your marriage and watch your little family grow.   You have been an awesome mom through it all.  It’s hard to believe that our boys are on their way to adulthood!   I can’t wait to see what God has in store for you!

I have enjoyed watching your career lay its path.  From working with little ones to working with the elderly.   You have such a tender heart for others.   Your work is clearly your ministry.  
Your creativity has been your forte for years.    I love having you as my crafty friend! 

Thank you for putting up with me for a lifetime.  I love that we can always pick up where we left off.  You have seen me at my best, but mostly at my worst!    You have journeyed alongside me through it all.  

Thank you for always encouraging and always being a friend that I can count on!   You are a blessing!

dear friend,

         

I remember when you started attending the group with a stroller in tow.   Our boys were SO young.   It was surreal taking our kids to a grief support group.     Tragedy had brought us together.   God used that group to knit together an amazing support system for me and my boys.   Thank you for being an integral part in our healing, and our sense of knowing that we were not alone in our journey.   
From Kids’ Haven, to the widow’s group, to our Lifegroup.   I’m blessed that you have journeyed alongside me over the years.    

 
I was glad when you started attending our church.   I have always admired your Biblical knowledge and wisdom.     I’ve always considered you my wise, witty friend.        You have a great wealth of knowledge that you put to work in many ways.    Your work with young kids, and now your work with college folks….it’s been neat to watch God lay out the path for your career.    

Your job as a solo parent has been your greatest responsibility.   I love how you love your boys, even when it is hard.   You have been graceful through the crazy moments and I admire how you compose yourself.   It’s been great to watch your boys turn out to be polite young men.  I’ve always appreciated their impeccable manners.  Good job, Mom!

Thank you, also, for being a willing participant in my own family’s holiday celebrations.  You have braved Thanksgivings with us and I love how you can make yourself at home in practically any situation.

You will always be considered family!  Your friendship has been a blessing to me!

dear friend,

We became fast friends and the best neighbors, ever.  Our kids were SO little when we met.  I was so happy to move in to a neighborhood where my boys could meet friends and run rampant in the streets.   Looking back, I’m certain our kids had the best childhood there in our cul-de-sac.

 You were my roller skating guru.  (We all recall the broken wrists.  Yikes. )  
The weekly outing to FunQuest was a highlight for me and the boys.   Fun times.

When tragedy struck you were literally the first on the scene and you never wavered.   You joined me, and sat with me in many of my darkest moments.   I am so thankful for your listening ear and our long porch talks.   We bonded over our husbands being away, for two distinctly different reasons.  It was a territory that was new to both of us.      You will always hold a special place in my heart for the great empathy you showed to me over the span of several years.   Thank you for upholding me during all of those times.

I am so thankful for the time when we had our daily walks.   So much walking!   I looked forward to our times together and I loved how our conversation flowed so naturally.   No topic left unturned.    We talked big and dreamed bigger.   I admired your daily encouragement to better ourselves physically and mentally.  
  
Family dynamics and location have separated us lately, but I love that you are still a part of my tribe!   I look forward to Sunday nights and our various outings and girls’ trips.      You are, and will always be so special to me!  You are a great blessing.

dear friend,

I’m so glad that you friended me on Facebook.  Twice!   The rest is history.  Although we knew of each other in high school, I’m so glad that we really know each other now!   
These past several years, It has been an honor to call you my friend.   You have been such an important member of my tribe.

I enjoy your perspective and determination with everything you tackle in life.   Your hobbies, your training, and your traveling are all areas of inspiration to me.   I love that you live life to the fullest at every chance you get.

 I like your attention to detail and you’re your uncanny ability to find the perfect gifts for your friends.   You are by far one of the most thoughtful people I know.
I have you to thank for my new home, and the fact that we’re practically neighbors!  I can’t wait until we hang out at your house a lot.  ;)
I admire the relationship that you have with your husband, and how you care for him, in the midst of all of your activity. 
 
You are a great conversationalist and a great road trip companion!  
Thanks for enduring the car rides with me and being a great ear!   I appreciate all of your insights and thoughtful remarks when I’ve vented about family, friends and kids.    I suppose that you can now add “car therapist” to your resume.

You are cool, calm and refreshing.  (Except at the Howard Johnson.  I’m glad I missed that)
Thanks for being you!  I’m blessed to know you.

dear friend,

You’ve probably been my friend the longest.  Like we’ve said, I have no idea when we actually met.  

I vaguely remember you and your mom at Perrymont, the fence that opened into your backyard, and those days of roller skating and running free in the neighborhoods.    High school… but mainly youth group at Chestnut Hill.    Always lots of laughter.  You have a smile that no one can forget…. Not even me.

You were my friend in my “previous” life and you stuck by me through some really dark moments.    You’ve been a great support of my “new” life as well.  You welcomed Greg with open arms into our establishment. 
 You’ve seen me in all stages of life.   Young, dumb, married, kids, death, widowed, dating, lonely, busy, crippled on the couch, through surgeries, parties, funerals.     You’ve been a staple in my life and I appreciate how you just won’t go away.  

You saved my sanity when I was nursing babies….taking me out on the town for just a bit… meant so much!   You kept me company when I was widowed…. SO many games of Scrabble and television shows. Too many friend events and road trips to count.   
And you stood by me as I raised my wild boys, always so supportive of my single mom shenanigans.

Thank you for always showing up, even when you don’t feel like it.  Thank you for encouraging me, supporting me, making fun of me, and making me laugh.   You’re so very special to me!  

You are a great blessing in my life.

dear friend,

I assume we met at band camp, freshman year.  Our friend groups collided and I was happy when you made our church youth group your own. 
It’s been a long time since then!  

I can remember visiting you at college, wedding showers, baby showers, weddings, lots of moving around and lots of catching up when we can.   
The girls’ weekends at your house…. before you had kids…. And the hours of TV marathons we would watch!  
Yes!… the dresses!

Now that you have your own kids… I love that we continue our adventures and make a point to get-together.    You are always first in mind when I think about girls’ weekends!  Lots of shopping, eating, hanging out.
We have watched each other from afar as we navigated kids and day-to-day, but it has been a pleasure to see God unfold a great plan for you and your family! 

I love our time together.   Even though we don’t communicate on a daily basis, I love that we can pick up where we left off, every time.    I love to hear your updates and catch up on life when we get together. Your calm strength is refreshing and you have a good humor about life.    You have been a staple in my life for a long time.   I treasure that you have been my friend since high school and have stood the test of time.   Thank you for being a part of my story.   You are a blessing!

dear friend,

It must have been a God ordained moment for us to meet at Funquest.  (Knowing that our husbands had discussed getting the families together, and it never happened)…   So Funquest!   Who would have guessed?!  Apparently we hit it off.   
I’m murky on the in-between details but it seems like you’ve always been around.
You are a staple for our Sunday nights and a willing participant for mostly anything except those public drinks and group games.

We’ve had many conversations over the years….sharing many thoughts, struggles and “secrets”.   I’m glad that you are part of my tribe.   It’s nice to know that there is no topic left unturned when we’re all together…. except you’d clearly like to avoid talking about teeth.   Underwear over teeth any day.

Thank you for giving me a fresh perspective on many things.   You always reach to find a positive in every situation.    I sometimes sit in awe at how you can take a terrible thought or situation and give it a positive twist.    You strive to see the best in people as well.     Your self-proclaimed savior complex has been neat to watch in action.   You are very generous with your time, talents and resources.

Thank you for always hosting the fab pool parties and encouraging the summer get-togethers.    I enjoy the poolside chats and summer fun. 
Even though you are a “big deal” I love the way that you can get along with all types of people.   I love that you choose our little group.  Thanks for being a part of it all.   You’re a blessing.

dear friend,

You joined us at Kids’ Haven and quickly became a special person in my life.  
Through the support group, our widow’s group, our Lifegroup -- I am glad that you walked alongside me for many years.  
You were part of such an intricate support system that God provided.  I’m not sure how I would have handled my tragedy without having you and the others in my life.

I appreciate your deep empathy and your common sense advice for people going through all types of struggles.     
I can recall people in our groups facing problems and you would know exactly what questions to ask.   You are a thoughtful listener and you offer great advice and encouragement.
I love your no-nonsense approach to life.    You are bold and honest.

Your continued involvement with Kids’ Haven and your voice for the AFSP really warms my heart.   It is so special to see you blessing others and bringing awareness.    Your journey is painful, yet powerful, and I hope that you continue to use your experiences to help others.

Our kids were so young when we met…. And now they are close to adulthood!  You’ve done a great job as a solo parent.  I’m proud of you… and your kids.  There is a bright future ahead!

Life has caused our time together to be lessened over the past few years, but please know you are always one of my favorites.      I’m so glad you have been a part of my story.   You are a blessing.

dear friend

I think I've been bragging on my friends for years!   It's a common thing for me to talk about my friends.  Especially how friends are the people who will most likely be around long after husbands and family are gone.
(Family is great.  I have a wonderful family.   My sisters are awesome... and they are my good friends by default. )
But other friends?....  are the people who actually choose to be around you.  That is a special gift.

Last month I attended a women's event and was inspired to host a get-together to honor my lifelong/special friends.   
Kind of a silly story.... but it turns out that I invented "Galentine's Day"....never mind the fact that it was already a thing that I didn't know about.  Go figure.

In preparation for my Galentine's event,  I decided to write a letter to each friend.    I would seclude myself each evening, and tell Greg I was writing my "love letters".    I worked on one letter each day, with one friend in mind, over the course of two weeks.  It was actually a special time as I considered how each friend has impacted my life. 

I read the letters out loud at the party..... and it turns out that I'm afraid of public speaking even with an audience of my close friends!   

I plan to share these letters, names excluded, for the next 12 days.   Valentine's week seems like a good week for me to share my mushiness.
I marvel at how different all of these women are and how they have each enriched my life in specific, tangible ways.    I could brag on them for.ev.er.  I am one blessed girl!