30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 3

If you know me well, this one will not be hard to guess! I am so thankful to God for my FRIENDS! Also, if you know me well, you know that there is not enough space here to list or show all of my dear friends. (Sorry ahead of time for not including everyone. I actually looked for more pictures, but they are on an old computer.) I have friends that are far (Peru and Uganda), and friends that are near (Alabama and Mississippi). God has given me friends that are younger and friends that are older than I. I am also a "friend mixer," so don't be suprised if my friends know each other. I definitely can share friends...and I am thankful for that too.

I think that I attribute my love of friends to my mom. She has a great group of Tuscaloosa friends that she still keeps in touch with several times a year. They are her "Tuesday Tuna" group, and they all keep in touch. She has shown me that you are loyal to friends and to family. You support them in their joys and in their sorrows. You cry with them and rejoice with them...and certainly eat and shop with them! I am so thankful that God has given us the joy of friendship in this lifetime. Thank you to all who have impacted me in my lifetime.

This is my sweet friend, Whitney. I just got to take this picture with her last week when her family moved back here from being in Peru for over a year. What a fun memory to have her family in my home last week. Including my kids and her nephews, we had eight kiddos here...seven which were boys. It was pure fun chaos! (More pictures to come of our reunion!)

Here is my dear friend, Lydia. She was in one of my first writing classes when she was in fifth grade. She is a beautiful young woman who is now a senior in college. She has advised me in many areas...decorating, fashion and boys (before Adam). She loves my children like her own. I treasure our times together.

Jennifer and I go all the way back to my first day at Brookwood Forest. We have shared many trips together, many "debriefings" together, many Diet Cokes together, and just lots of fun together. She is Aunt Jenn to my kiddos, and they love her!

Here is my dear friend, Meredyth. We were roommates for a long time and God has truly blessed us with a sweet friendship. She is known as Mimi to my kids and she is truly an aunt to them. Meredyth is my fashion consultant and just my listener.

I think God has given me such good girlfriends since he never gave me a sister. To Him, I am eternally grateful!

Thank you to all of these friends and the many more throughout the years...I am thankful for you!
--to my elementary friends who showed me how to be a friend
--to my junior high and high school friends...especially my Monday morning Bible study who showed me how to love each other and to love our God
--to my Chi Omega sister--what fun memories that we have
--to the G-rated hall my junior and senior year--you all taught me to have fun and make memories
--to my Samford ADPi sistas---you taught me to have more fun after college...thanks for adopted me as an ADPi
--to my Gresham friends--you all taught me to love the kids that I teach more than the subject that I teach
--to my BWF family and friends--you taught me how to love the students and their families that I taught each and every day
--to my MBCC and Briarwood friends...you all have taught me to love God and love others well
--to my MBCC moms' group and dear core group friends...you have taught me how to love my children and have helped me learn to trust and lean on others for any and all kinds of help
--to my mentors throughout the years (Mrs. Brandon, Lucy, Ellen, Missy, Peggy, Cheri, Jeanne, etc., etc., etc.)...thank you for investing in my life
--to Adam...thanks for being my very best friend and for always letting me have my 'friend' time.
--to our good Sovereign God who created friendship...I am truly overwhelmed in gratitude to You!

Sorry for the long post. I guess you can write a lot about something that is important. Thanks for "listening"...if you are a good friend, you know that I cannot just say one thing. If I left a group out, don't worry, I will write again soon!