Life's lessons

Well allot has happened since our last post. We were blessed with the company of my Best Friend Jeannine and we loved every minute of having her here. Jeannine and I have been Best Friends my whole life.. Honestly Our whole lives. 32years to be exact!! :)

Jeannine grew up beside my parent’s house and we were never apart. From Sun up to Sun down we were together. No one in the world knew us better; even our parents didn't understand us like we could understand each other. Jeannine helped me learn what TRUE friendship was, how it is to be loyal, creative, how to make anyway magical. I always could count on her to be there for me through everything.

When we approached 7th Grade, Jeannine's Family had to move to Michigan. I honestly felt like someone ripped my heart out of my chest the day she left. I remember her leaving like it was yesterday, I watched as the car left crying my eyes out, Her Mom asked me to take the phones to the phone company for her (We aren't that old but times were different then!!):D So I went through the house and gathered up the phones. I sat in Jeannine’s room and cried till I thought I was going to pass out. I knew we would always be Friends but I never imagined how close she and I would stay.

We wrote letters to each other every week, called all the time. Every Holiday or Birthday we called each other to see what we got. And when we could we would go visit each other which was always my favorite times with her. As we got older the visits weren't as frequent but, it never changed. She would show up and my heart raced with happiness, "NEENEE WAS HOME" and I would run to her, throw my arms around her and it was like she never left.

Over the years Jeannine became more of a sister to me, I could tell her anything and she would love me.. Even when she didn't approve of my decisions she was ALWAYS my biggest fan. When she comes in town, I feel like my life is whole again. Like that small piece of my heart is back together and the world is ok.

We could talk for hours or sit in silence and still just a look says it all how we feel or...sorry to say.. If someone looks funny we both bust up laughing because the look on our faces says it all.

I don't know how I got so lucky to have such an AMAZING friend; I THANK GOD for her every day. When Neenee leaves, I dread the Goodbye's, I try to be so strong and just hug her, smile and pretend like my heart isn't braking but it NEVER works!! I feel like that little kid again watching her car leave, wanting to run after the car and tell her to stay. So I try to be strong but the tears always fall like a water fall. My "sister" is leaving me and my heart is braking.

This time I cried Allison was with us. She hugged our legs and said "Its Ok Mommy, Its ok Neenee, Don't cry" Which ofcorse made me cry harder. My little girl was trying to help us feel better and I saw how grown up she was becoming. Jeannine was driving away and Alli kept yelling " I LOVE YOU NEENEE!!! BYE NEENEE!!" Again I lost it crying because I looked at her little face and tears were on her cheeks. My little peanut was crying but still trying to make her Mommy feel better with her Bear hugs around my neck.

We went inside and Alli went right to the bathroom and got me tissues. She ran over to me wiped my tears away and said "Now Mommy take a deep breath, Neenee will be back to see us very soon" I smiled through my tears and told her how much I loved her and how proud I was of how sweet of a little girl she was. She gave me the biggest hug and said "Oh Mommy, I love you more!!"

Life always hands you challenges, its how you choose to respond is what can make or break you. Jeannine and I could have let time drift our friendship apart. We could have been the typical childhood friends who don't really know what ever happened to the other but we were different! We overcame any challenge handed to us; we knew at such a young age what TRUE FRIENDS were and knew what a rare thing we had.

I hope to be able to teach all our kids how to be a friend and how important it is to be good to the people who are good to us and pray for the ones who treat us bad. I pray that our kids are blessed with their "NEENEE" and can one day tell their story of their lifelong friend and say "I remember my Mom telling me about her Best Friend and how Life was always good when Neenee was there"

I love you Jeannine, you are the GREATEST and Thank you for all the laughter you have given me over the years, for your loyalty as my friend/sister, for having strong shoulders to cry on and loving and trusting me to be there for you too. We are SO BLESSED TO CALL YOU FAMILY!!