I am sure you all have a best friend you have had since high school, and if you're lucky, even farther back then that. Well I can say I am blessed to have 3 such best friends. Sure we have met friends along the way and we cherish them and love them, but there is something to be said about those that have been there since childhood.
My big sister is a given. She has been in my life since I was born, duh; even though she tried to throw me down the stairs while I was riding my bike at a young age, tried to suffocate me pretending she was just playing, yea right. or knocking the wind out of me a few times in our teen years, and oh yes the lovely reminder I see everyday she left on my cheek since I was 2. Jason likes to tell a story that I was hit in the face with a hockey puck since it does look like that type of scar, but oh no, that is thanks to my wonderful big sister Terri. She threw a book at me while I was at the bottom of the stairs and she of course was at the top. Now that is sister love. I am sure she can tell you a few stories of things I did to her, but through it all she has always been there, protecting me, when she wasn't trying to kill me that is; giving me advice and of course spoiling me. We have an aunt that would always tell us as we were yelling. "I HATE YOU!" during heated fights, "She will be your best friend and when all the others are gone she will be right there." How right she was. She is my bested friend and I love her dearly.
Now my other 2 best friends are in fact sisters as well. We have known each other since 3rd grade and guess what, it was a love hate relationship between the 4 of us all the way through about 10th grade, it was more friendship than anything, but you know how that goes. Girls can be petty and silly at times. Chanda is like me; she has a husband and amazing kids. We have grown up together, laughing, crying and being the best of friends. We graduated together and our oldest son's are a week apart, crazy how that happened. Chan has been blessed with 7 amazing kids and another on the way and home schools the oldest ones. I am so proud to say this about her and I can tell you that these kids are some of the most behaved, bright & very respectful kids ever! She is truly a remarkable women who I cherish.
Autumn has been around just as long as Chanda, of course, their sisters, but when I was a freshman and Autumn a sophomore in high school. Chanda had a new boyfriend, actually it happens to be her husband now. So we were on the back burner therefore we started to hang out more and more and it has been that way ever since. Autumn and I were inseparable through high school and even after high school, we did everything together. We had a notebook each where we would write daily to one another and exchange them and write more and exchange again, it was almost a journal for us. I still have mine, although some things have been taken out and thrown in the fire - literally. It is great to have all those memories written down for sure. There are so many amazing things I can share about her. She is thoughtful, funny, & everyone loves her. Her faith and loyalty in her friends shows how big her heart is. I am thankful she is and always will be a part of our lives.
As you can see these ladies mean a lot to me. I cherish their friendship and love all of them dearly. I am thankful we are able to continue having our Christmas gatherings and we continue to, laugh, love encourage each other in the Lord and guide one another. Amazing how the Lord put us all together so many years ago & we all love and follow Him today. Thank you Lord for keeping them in my life.
Here are just a few pictures from the night.
Autumn, Terri, Janelle & Chanda - By the way, only Terri and Autumn are drinking wine. Chanda and I are drinking grape juice mixed with 7UP - YUMMY!!!
Peanuts nativity scence.
We just found out Chan was having another baby ~ So looks like she will be waiting to enjoy this.
Woo Hoo! Denver Bronco glasses. Love them, they have a football on the bottom & very thick.
I saved this last gift of the night for Autumn.
A couple of month's ago Autumn had us over for dinner and she pointed to this scripture that was handwritten on her fridge. She said it was her sister Clarissa's handwriting who passed away 51/2 years ago. It was the only handwritten thing she had from her. Well I had been cleaning out the old night stand since we bought new bedroom furniture and in the process I found this 20 page "handwritten" story about welcoming Christ into your home, all 20 pages written out by Clarissa. She had given it to us when I was like 19. So I tied a Christmas string around it and put a little tag and wrote, "I think she would want you to have it. " Needless to say we were all crying. I can type a whole another post on Clarissa and what she has meant in my life, but will save that for another time. She is missed and remembered always! Don't forget to make me a copy Autumn ;)
I love you ladies!!! Merry Christmas
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