My Best Friend

If you know me then you know that I don't keep many close friends. I find it to be exhausting and a waste of time. I can't keep up with that many people at once, and I get bored easily. There is one friend though, that despite these things, has stuck by me, even when I didn't deserve it. If you have ever met my best friend, you know just from looking at us that we are complete opposites! Kelsey is tall and thin, and I'm not. I'm loud and outgoing, Kels is quiet and reserved. I have blond hair, she has brown hair. That's just the beginning of our differences. Somehow though, we were brought together close to 6 years ago. It wasn't because we were so much alike, or because we had all of the same classes, we just were. Our friendship was not how you would expect a friendship to be in the beginning. Our friendship was built off of a mutual friend moving. Odd, right? Between the reminiscing about our times with him, running to class, and meeting other friends, I found my best friend. Kelsey has been there for me through most of my major adult life events. She was there when I met and started dating John, got engaged, moved to Texas, moved back to Kansas, when Mary left for boot camp and Afghanistan, getting married, and now Baby Eskimo. In six years we've been through weddings, funerals, graduations, new jobs, loss of jobs and so much more. Tonight I got to spend some much needed quality time with her. As we were walking and talking I thought about everything we've been through in 6 short years and I realized that God has given me our friendship as a gift. I've gotten the privilege of watching her go from a shy timid college freshman to a knowledgeable and respected teacher. The transformation that took place over one summer of camp together was amazing. The way I got to see her heart and life change when she met Adam, her husband was astonishing. To know how much she loves her friends and family is inspiring. I am so thankful for Kels and everyday that I know she's right there with me, ready to laugh, cry, pray and rejoice. I'm thankful that she'll be around when Baby Eskimo's born and that it will get to know her light and joy as well. God gave me her to be a strong, Christian woman that I can rely on. I can go to her no matter what the problem, or the time of day. God knew that despite everything going on in my life, I would need a constant. I was given someone who possessed many of the traits I have yet to acquire, someone that I could learn from. I'm thankful that for all of our differences, there's something that binds us together. I'm thankful for Kelsey.

Me and Kelsey

Birthday Week!

In our family the last week of November has always been a big one. Dad's birthday is November 26, my sister, Mary, has her birthday November 27. I'm November 28. Growing up that was birthday week! It was the biggest (and best) week of the year in our house. I'd always joked that one day we would take up the entire week with birthdays, as it turned out when I got to college my best friend, Kelsey's birthday is November 29. Woohoo! Today when I went to see the doctor she said that we were definitely looking at a December 4th due date. I sighed a little and she asked why. I explained birthday week to her and told her that I was kind of hoping that this little guy's birthday would be part of birthday week. She looked at her calendar and told me that the 29th was okay, and that we could schedule induction on November 29 so that baby can be a part of birthday week! I am pretty excited! It will be so fun to share that week with my baby. We'll have 4 full days of family birthdays :) I know it doesn't seem like much, but it means a lot to me and to my family. So excited!