From Teenagers to Now-You are Forever Friends

Whenever I run into someone I used to know from middle school or high school the question is inevitably asked, "So, do you keep in touch with anyone from high school?" Well, actually I keep up with/stalk on facebook about half of our graduating class. But truth be told I had the most wonderful friends in high school that are still part of my inner circle today. I would be a fool to let any of them slip away. They are the kind of friends that knew me during my years of teenage angst and loved me, or atleast put up with me, anyway. And they love me today as we all celebrate the joys of life and help one another through the sorrows. To them I say thank you and I love you.

A Few of My Forever Friends

There's my friend I have known the longest. We have shared laughter and tears. Snuck out together at night and TPed together. Run over a median together when learning to drive, and were thankfully, unharmed. Had boyfriends that couldn't stand each other because (what they didn't realize) they were exactly alike. Were two best friends that were stood up by two best friends (thanks Mark and Johnny). Was the first friend I told that I loved Mark. Held hands while a fiance was off at war. Stood by one another at our weddings. Had children together. And continue to share our lifes greatest and most difficult moments together. The kind of friend that in my darkest hour sat with me outside of my parents home until 1:30 in the morning and
cried with me when my world crashed down around me. And then stayed and took care of my children, went to the grocery store, bought me trashy gossip magazines, and did my laundry when all I could do each day was simply survive. The friendship that has not only survived the distance between us in miles, but has become stronger.

Then there is my friend I will affectionately call my "soul sister." She referred to us as that in our 30's; but said she always had an idea, even in our teens, that we were going to be "soul sisters." We fought over the same boys in high school. TPed homes together. Decorated the basketball guys homes in Graeter's cups and shirts (such dorks).
Dressed up in overalls and matching shoes with another girlfriend and pretended we were Charlie's Angels. Got caught doing "drive-by's" of the guy's homes we liked (oh my gosh, I am embarrassed even sharing that memory). Drove through town bustin' it to "Bone Thugs in Harmony" thinking we were cool and putting our lives on the line every time we got into her Grand Prix. It was this friend that led me back to the Lord when I was 20. She exuded a peace I had never known before...and I knew it was the Lord in her. It was at her wedding on June 3, 2000 that I watched her group of friends dancing on the dance floor and they were having so much fun and filled with so much joy that I finally decided to transfer to OSU and become a Young Life leader because they had what I desperately wanted: joy, freedom, life.
Our lives have been eerily similar throughout our 15 year friendship. I have been so fortunate to walk through lifes highs and lows with this friend. She has been my biggest cheerleader and great comfort in times of triumph and times of struggle. We laugh at who we used to be and embrace who we are today. And as our boys started prechool together we watched them run around the room hugging each other, then screaming at each other, then hugging one another again and we both looked at their teachers and said, "Good luck. That is so us."

Then there is the other Charie's Angel in the bunch. She is my friend that has ALWAYS made me laugh. Her family introduced my family to the church they continue to go to 18 years later. We were friends, then became neighbors. She used to drive me to school in her first car. We worked together at Graeter's where on our busy summer nights she would take an oven mit and pretend it was a puppet and tell everyone in line to go to Baskin Robbins. We spent the majority of our years living across the country from one another, and when she moved back home it was like Christmas for me.
We share the memories of youth group together. The memories of summer camps. We share broken hearts. We share dreams fulfilled. We walked along side one another as we married our incredible husbands. She loves my boys and always encourages me with a funny story that I have shared with her about them. She truly enjoys them. And we shared in the joys (ha) of pregnancy together. And when both of our boys were born she is the friend who invited me to dinner so we could eat lunch meat sandwiches, drink wine, and devour cookie dough together because we were no longer pregnant.

And then there is my friend who knows how to love people. Anyone and everyone who meets her loves her and feels loved by her. It's a gift. She is the friend that included me the moment
I joined a new team as a senior in high school. We dressed alike, made "XC jerseys" to hang on the wall at the entrance of our high school. We pretended to pose for pictures togther even when there was no camera. She helped me to embrace who I was...not who our society told me I should be. She was the first friend to visit me in the hospital when my first child was born. The first one to hold my newborn son that wasn't a parent or grandparent. She is the friend that always shows up at our doorstep when someone isn't well to bring a meal or a loaf of bread. She has chili cook-offs at her house and Olympic parties with medals made of candy bars. She is fun, authentic and kind. She and I have laughed together, cried together, and been total dorks together. And now I am fortunate enough that we get to raise our boy's together.


And then there is my other dear friend...the 3rd girl in our XC trio. She, too, posed for fake pictures with us and hung a "XC jersey" for the entire school to see(even though she may be embarrassed to admit it now). She has made me laugh till I cried. She has held my hand when I have been sad. Loved me in high school when I wasn't the greatest friend. And loved me in college on and off the lacrosse field when I was like a lost puppy just following her around because I so desperately wanted to have her confidence and zest for life. She loves me and loves my family and always puts a smile on the face of whoever is near.

For all of you, my dear friends, I am grateful. I realize that so much of this post was about what these friends have done for me over the years. But the reality is, each of these friends through the years has selflessly loved me
even when I was unlovable. I loved each and everyone one of you then. And I love each and everyone of you now. You truly are my forever friends.