Good friends...

One of the greatest blessings in my life is wonderful friends. Throughout the years, in whatever place we may be living at the time, I have been privileged to have amazing people be my friends. Besides my family and the gospel, these people have probably had the biggest influence on me. I have been thinking a lot about friendship lately because one of my dearest friends, you know one of those friends that become your family, is moving next week. But more on that later...

Last night we had my friend Shannon, her husband Mike, and their 6 month old baby, Aaron over for dinner. Shannon and I became best friends in 6th grade when we both lived in Quantico, VA. We lived in the same cul-de-sac. I think 7th grade was really when I started becoming me and she was there every step of the way. When I moved that summer to Okinawa, she was one of the people I would miss most. Lucky for me, we didn't have to miss each other very long. The next summer before our freshman year at Kubasaki, her family moved in directly across the cul-de-sac from us and we picked up right where we left off. I moved again after our sophomore year and we both graduated from high school, went on to college, and both eventually got married. And then I got lucky again.

About 3 and a half years ago she moved with her new husband Mike to Colorado. I hadn't seen her in over 12 years, but our relationship was exactly the same. Sure, we had stuff to catch up on, but WE were the same -- she really knew me and I really knew her and all the years and miles had not changed that.

Last night we had such a blast with them! We don't get to see them very often; we both seem to have real life going on. :) But I was struck again by how, even though we don't see each other as much as we would like, we pick up right where we left off. That, to me, is so cool!

I am so grateful for good friends, like Shannon, that have made my life so sweet.