Thursday, May 26, 2016

Third of Ten


It’s crazy how people come into your life. Some breeze in and out barely leaving a trace, while others imprint on your heart forever.


The first Sunday I walked into Relief Society, I saw a young mom with the happiest brown-eyed baby boy on her lap. Little did I know, that mom at that moment was looking around the room and thought, "I need a friend. I'm going to make the new mom my friend." That snap decision changed the course of both our lives.

I've never had a friend like Karen. Ten children between the two of us. TEN. We raised our children together. Change that--we raised each other's children together. We disciplined and potty trained and schooled and Soccer Mom-ed and piano lessoned together. 

I helped her through years of chronic migraines--I cleaned her bathroom and drove her kids and brought her meals. She helped me through months of grief--she listened and cried and listened some more. She reads my thoughts and I complete her sentences.

I'd give her my right arm if she asked me. Instead, I gave her my back yard for the wedding dinner and reception of her youngest child--our third wedding together.

Logan got married on Saturday.

Lo. Ogie. Chuckles.

Twenty-one years we’ve lived in Arizona. Twenty-one years I’ve loved this boy.

I watched Karen from across the room as her baby boy got married. I watched the tears of joy form in her eyes and roll down her cheeks. I watched a new daughter join her family. And as I waited my turn to embrace the newlyweds, I watched her hug family and friends who shared that moment. 

I wasn't prepared for the emotion that flooded through me as I hugged her that day. Words can't describe a bond like ours. She whispered in my ear, "I couldn't have done it without you." 

I can't imagine how I would have done it without her.


3 comments:

  1. You made me cry this morning! I love you friend! How very blessed I am, that you are in my life!

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  2. Crying over here! How blessed you are to have each other....good friends are hard to come by...some can only dream of that kind of true friendship. BTW, that last picture needs to be put in a frame- too cute!

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  3. Sheesh. You made me cry, too. And I've never even met you guys in person!

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