Tonight I was tucking in my babies and as I was tucking in Weston we began to visit about his upcoming birthday.
As we laid on his bed he told me he couldn't wait to be six because then a little boy would be his friend on the playground.
He explained that the little boy said he had to be six to play in their group.
Weston assured me that he just knew he was going to meet his very best friend soon, he just knew it.
Friends in kindergarten have been very interesting so far this year.
I found my heart aching and wanting to urge him to look for a true friend but seemed to be at a loss as to tell him what a real friend looked like, and then I thought back to my friend in kindergarten.
I met her at church.
We grew up next to a large family and my brothers started riding to church with their family on Sundays. I begged my mom every Sunday to let me go with them and her protective heart over her baby girl just couldn't allow it. Finally one day I guess she realized I wasn't going to let up she decided to take me.
I don't remember all the details about meeting my best friend but I do remember she never asked me to be anything I wasn't. She was a year older and she never held that over my head.
She didn't even make fun of me when I wore arm floaties to her boy girl swim party.
I was her Lyss and she treasured me for who I was and always has.
With her being my best friend I never knew what a gift that was until I was older.
We are still close.
We both have several children and life and caring for our families tends to keep us from getting together very often, but when we do we always pick up right where we left off.
We talk about grocery lists and budgets. We vent about strong willed children and deer hunting husbands and share how we are always praying for more patience.
I will never forget the call when I was miles away that her momma and daddies marriage had fallen apart and they were getting a divorce.
One of the hardest things I have ever done is go to her daddies funeral and watch her tell him bye.
I remember clearly her making every shower and even the one when her daughter had a school event the same night. She assured me that she would have been there even if it meant being late.
And I knew it to be true.
She has always been there for me and I hate that part of myself that hasn't always been there for her when she needed me, but she is gracious and has never held that over my head.
I remember her messages as I rode in the ambulance to Springfield with our Ally after nearly losing her. She was wanting to know what hospital I was at because she was coming.
And she did come once we were home and we cried about her daddy and how I almost lost my girl and we both understood how the others heart was hurting.
I remember her calling right away this spring when we found out we lost our baby. We cried over the phone and she urged me to do what she knew to be right as I approached surgery.
I realize now that a friendship like we have is rare. That I probably wont ever meet another Nel and that I don't really need to. When you have friends like her numbers don't matter.
It is a blessing to my heart to know I have a handful of people in my life that are always there and always will be and my Nel is one of those people.
I pray my children find that kind of friend and even more so that they are that kind of friend.
I love you Nel, always have.
