"You Raise Me Up"

I love Josh Groban's voice. I remember years ago when I first saw him on TV. I was instantly amazed by him. For being so young, he is soulful, soft, and yet has such a powerful voice. His singing is so heartfelt and passionate. It resonates in hearts and souls everywhere. 

Like so many of his others, the song, "You Raise me Up" is beautiful. The chorus of the song goes like this:

"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be."

The whole song is here:  Josh Groban on You Tube

I am blessed to have several people in my life who "raise me up". My Mom has long encouraged me to do more with my music. God gave me the gift of writing, and I am ashamed to say that I have wasted it for many years. I actually did take some time out in 2005 and recorded a CD, but then that's as far as it went. I never sent it anywhere or did anything with it. A wasted opportunity. 

Jason is a great proponent of any and all of my whims and desires. He's a wonderful "Yes, Dear" kind of guy. ;o) If I want to try it, he's all over it. Pampered Chef? Did it. Avon? Did it. Another cat? Did it, three times. Rearrange the furniture for the umpteeth time? Did it. Jewelry business? Did it. Photography business? Doing it. Paint a room? Did it. New kitchen table? Did it. What's for dinner? He doesn't care, he'll eat it. Go back to school, if you want. Get a job, wherever you want. Be a stay-at-home-mom, if you want. He's awesome!

Then there are my friends. I have several "I'll pray for you" friends. I always appreciate prayers!! My best friend, Cindy, is SO in tune with me, I swear she KNOWS when I need her and she calls me! It's amazing. She is always there when I need her. Her advice is always introspective and right on target. She knows me ridiculously well. I have other friends who raise me up on a daily basis in many different ways. Sometimes they don't even know it. A hug, a smile, a "poke" on Facebook just to they just let me know they are thinking about me. Many others read this blog and send me little notes. I always enjoy the chuckles and comments. All the "little" things raise me up.  

I am still growing as a human being. I am trying to be a better person, more of who God desires me to be. My personal and professional goals have changed as I've gone through life, but my Spiritual goals remain the same. Sometimes I get off track, but I have been fortunate to have friends who keep me headed in the right direction, and I love them for it!

So, for all of you who love me unconditionally, support me and my goals, encourage my aspirations and push me to be a better person... thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart! You are the light that leads me through my dark times and the courage I need to continue my journey. I could not do it without you.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 
-1 Thessalonians 5:11

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. -Hebrews 3:13

God Bless. 

Refrigerator Privileges

Last Sunday's sermon was a masterpiece! It really got me thinking about my own life, my currant situation and where I want to be in this world. So, I took a few key points from the sermon, and here we go:

Focus On Family
I have two younger brothers who I love very much. They are lucky enough to live in the same city and state as my parents (who I also love very much). Being military, we are not afforded that same luxury. My husband is the youngest of his siblings. He has three older sisters, a step-brother and step-sister. His parents live in different states. His family is very spread out, so it would be impossible to live close to all of them, and mine. Our combined family is huge!!

Family is very important to me. I work very hard to keep my family strong, and I am proud to say that there have been relationships in my family that I had a hand in strengthening. I firmly believe that NOTHING is more important than family! I have family members who I am not close with, and it really hurts me to know that they are out there and we don't speak more often. I recently got back in touch with one of my cousins on Facebook. I had not seen her in probably 20 years. It's heartbreaking how life goes by and we don't see each other, we only keep in touch through our parents, or not at all. My grandparents have all passed away. I often wonder about my cousins, aunts and uncles who are not a part of my life. There are a few others who I call from time to time to catch up. Others I "talk" to through the Internet.

My family, my blood, my desire to make sure they know Christ...

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

Why You Don't Want To Be An Outcast
Are you an outcast among your family, your circle of friends (or lack thereof) or from the family of the body of Christ? During the sermon I started to answer a maybe/yes. I have so much family I don't know. Does that make me an outcast? I have a lot of "friends" (er, acquaintances) but I have reduced my circle of friends for various reasons. Even though it was my own choice, does that make me an outcast? I am a believer in Christ. I have asked Him into my life, into my heart, into my soul. I pray. I ask for forgiveness. I confess my sins. I go to church. How could I be an outcast from the body of Christ? I don't want to be an outcast! I know what I would be missing!

And just like that, I realized that I don't want to be an outcast, and why no one should want to be an outcast. We should desire to stand in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ and to worship with them. Yes, I am a Christian, even if I didn't go to church on Sunday, but to have that community connection, that communion with other Christians who will love and care about you, nurture your relationship with God and help you grow in your Faith... you're not going to get that by praying at home on the couch. As Christians we have a duty to serve our God and our church. We need to minister to others, to further the mission and continue to plant the seeds so faith and the knowledge of God's eternal love for us can grow in the hearts and souls of others!

What It Means To Be In Community With Christ
When we are in community with Christ, when we are a part of His family, we are "in"! We have full access to all the promises in the Bible, and all the promises of Heaven! We get refrigerator privileges! You're family now, go help yourself, make yourself at home!! BUT, we also have the obligation to uphold our promises to God, to be faithful to Him and live our lives for Him. As I said before, we also have a responsibility to care for the others in his flock.

Do we fully realize the amazing PRICE that was paid for us? Jesus suffered and DIED for our sins.

But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ. -Ephesians 2:13

Once we were far, but now we are near. God wants us to be close to Him, just as He wants us to be close to one another. We need to get reconnected to those who have become "lost", and we need to share what we know with others. 

And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that HE is the ONE appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. -Acts 10:42

Proclaiming aloud Your praise and telling of all Your wonderful deeds. -Psalm 26:7

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. -Romans 10:17  So go tell someone!!


Open your heart, open your arms, and lift your eyes to the sky for surely God's overabundant love will be raining down upon you. God Bless!




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*The term "Refrigerator Privileges" came from our pastor, Brother Larry, in his sermon last Sunday. ;o) I wish I could take credit for that gem, but it's not mine! LOL

Learning To Love

"Carry on!" Two words I heard a lot during my time in the Marine Corps. Those two small words have such great meaning. It's something we have to do, to "carry on", even when we feel weak, afraid, forlorn... we must carry on.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. -Psalm 46:1

We never carry on alone! Our Father is always with us in times of hurt, pain, trouble, and in joy, celebration and prosperity. My Aunt Nicki describes hard times as this; the devil sees how well our lives are going at any given time and he can't stand it, so he throws trouble and problems our way to mess things up. We have to lean on God, and trust in Him, asking for His help, wisdom, guidance and protection to weather the storms, and He WILL be there. We are HIS CHILDREN and he will never forsake us.

He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us. -2 Corinthians 1:10

It's hard to love the hardest of times. How do you "carry on" when you feel the weight on the world crashing down on your shoulders? I have never been one to publicly ask for help, but occasionally ask for prayers. Generally we're a fairly private family. I am learning though, that asking for help, asking for prayers, sharing my burdens and allowing others to pray with me has been an amazing outlet. It has also given me a chance to bond with other people through the hard times... giving me a real reason to learn to love the difficulties I am encountering. The devil has been working overtime at our house.

This blog has also been a good outlet for me. For years I had talked about doing it, but the thought of opening my heart and soul to the Internet, and total strangers, was a bit daunting. I know I can pick and choose what to share, and when my best friend read it she said I was being "guarded". I knew that I was to an extent, but I wanted this to be real, a real expression of who I am. Some days I put more thought into my writing than others, some days it's just a quick "jot down a note". Hey, it's my blog... they won't all be editorials! ;o)

I was encouraged to start a blog by my Mom (who encourages me to do EVERYTHING!!) and several friends. It was very interesting because last March, one friend in particular emailed me following a Facebook post and said, "Your prayer was so touching. Even hard-hearted me is wiping away some tears. With your talent for writing, the ease of your relationship with God, and your willingness to put both out into the world, I really think you have a calling as a Christian writer or blogger. You're really inspiring, Rachelle, and I don't think I tell you that enough." After I started my blog, and our friendship soured, she sent me a long, quite nasty email calling it "self-righteous pontificating, childish, self-indulgent, mediocre writing". Wow. That's a pretty far leap from the first compliment. Either way, I make no excuse or apologies for WHO I am or WHAT I post. She also suggested that I make it private or take it down if I didn't like her comments or her constant presence. I will do neither. I will learn to love the difficult times, because they make me closer to what matters; my God, my family and those who truly love and care about me.

But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him who sent me. - John 15:21

Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. -John 16:22

Our God Is Greater

And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? -Romans 8:30-31

I am working VERY hard to change my attitude for today. With the help of some truly wonderful friends and their loving, uplifting comments it's getting a bit better. Thank God for my husband and my friends.

One of the songs we sang yesterday in church is a Chris Tomlin song that I absolutely LOVE. It says, "If our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? If our God is with us, then what could stand against (us)?" Take a listen...

Chris Tomlin - Our God Is Greater

Our God IS greater!! He is greater than any worry I have, any doubt in my mind and any trouble that burdens my heart. Although I currently feel very bogged down and really overwhelmed, I know the God is handling it and when He is ready, this will be resolved. He is in control, I am not. For a "control freak" like me, that's hard!! But I put my faith in Him and I am trying so, so, so hard!!

Derailed

This past week has a been a doozy! I spent several days throwing up everything I tried to eat accompanied by horribly intense stomach pain. I went to the doctor and had more blood work done. They've scheduled a stomach biopsy for me to try to get more answers. Because I was so sick and not getting all my other medications, my body started a withdrawal process and I was even more nauseated! I was so sick, in fact, that I couldn't even sit at the computer to blog! (Now you KNOW it's bad!! LOL)

Then our newest cat, Angel, got worms! I started getting paranoid, wondering if I got worms from the cat!! We washed all the bedding and wiped everything down with Lysol wipes, took her to the Vet... She got a shot and the Vet assured us that what she has is not transferable to humans, so I could relax. ;o)

I went to church yesterday morning, feeling pretty well. The service was excellent!! The sermon was perfect for everything I have been feeling lately. I often feel like our pastor is talking directly to me! God is so amazing in the way that He speaks to us!!

Jason was on duty so I took the boys out to lunch at a new Panda Express by our church. We went to a friend's house, I visited with the parent while the kids played and then took James to church for youth group. It was pouring down rain and the streets were literally flooding!

When I got home, I sat down to write a blog, so moved by the morning's message, and it took off in so many different directions. I was trying to rein myself back in, focus it a little better and make sure I was getting my own message across clearly for all of you. While I was taking a break last night, I got some news that completely threw me off track. That was it: Derailed.

I found out that someone made a very, VERY bad decision that will ultimately affect my family. This person has a long history of making poor choices and continues to repeat mistakes and not make changes to their behavior. Now we (my family) will be affected, yet again.

If you know me, you know that I am VERY protective of my family! You do NOT mess with my family!

When I found out last night I was irate! I don't even think irate is the right word. Is there a word that means more mad than irate? Infuriated? Outraged? REALLY TICKED OFF!!! After a few seconds, when the news set in, I realized that it had implications for us, and I began to get scared. When that fear set in, I got even more mad! How could this happen? How could this person be so stupid? AGAIN?? At what point to you WAKE UP and realize that what you're doing IS NOT working?? Ugh!

Outside of what it will mean to my immediate family, this person's decision has major implications for other people, which was the cause of my original anger, concern and frustration. Some people just never grasp the concept of the "ripple effect". This decision will also have lasting and damaging repercussions for their own life. It upsets me on SO many levels.

Jason, God bless him, keeps reassuring me that everything will be alright. WE will be alright. This will not effect us as much as it seems right now. I love him, and I am SO thankful that he's in my life.

I've had all night to digest the news. And I did. All night long I thought about this situation and how there is absolutely nothing I can do except give it to God and ask Him to deal with it on everyone's behalf. This morning I am still mad. I am still worried. I am still trying to accept that there is nothing I can do, for us or anyone else involved. :o/ I don't like that. I am a "do'er". I do things, and fix stuff, and solve problems... but not this time. I have to wait, pray, and let God handle it.

So, if you are also the praying kind, please put in a good word for me and my family... and also for the person who keeps making poor choices. I have prayed for this person a LOT and will continue to do so. I hope that one day they will realize the impact of their decisions. This time it was a HUGE mistake and may already be too late.



P.S. I will finish my blog from yesterday and post it soon. ;o)

 

*Mommy Brag*

So the kids are back in school and things are going very well. Our oldest, J, has a FULL class load! In 10th grade he's already doing college prep work and hopefully he'll be setting himself up for some scholarships! He's a smart young man, and headed in the right direction!! We've had some unexpected bumps along the way, but he's definitely back on track now!! We are very proud of all his hard work and strong determination.

Our youngest, B, is settling in to 2nd grade and making new friends. Unfortunately none of his classmates from last year are in his class this year, but he does know some of his classmates from around the school so he wasn't completely "new". B is a wonderful, friendly, outgoing child with a heart of gold. He showed it again this morning while we were getting ready for school. I was packing his snack and he told me about a classmate who didn't have a snack the first day. He asked her if she forgot it but she didn't answer him. He said, "I thought she was just shy." On the second day of school she didn't have snack again. When they went to wash their hands she told him that she was hungry. He asked if she brought a snack today. She said no, her mother didn't have any. He told me that he felt so sad and that he had shared his snack with her. While they were talking over snacks, she told him that her mother didn't have any money to buy snacks. My heart broke. So as I was packing his snack this morning he asked me to pack extra for her, so he could share again. :o) He is just the sweetest, kindest child I have ever met. He loves and cares about people in the most amazing, unassuming ways.

We did pack extra snack today, another bag of Cheese Nips and another juice box. The smile on his face was amazing, just knowing that he was caring for someone else, and he was so happy to do it. God has truly blessed us in SO many ways, and we are so lucky to be able to share our blessings with the world. I've said it many times, but I wouldn't be at ALL surprised if B grew up to be a pastor. Our kids are our biggest blessings, and they continue to pass it on. That's the best gift of all.

Cat-astrophic!

Truly! As I mentioned before, we have three cats and one poor, lonely dog who wishes he had some back-up! LOL Our cats, Tanner, Maggie and Angel are real characters. Duke, our dog, tries to keep them all in line but he he needs a few Deputies at his side for these three!!

Tanner is almost six, and we've had him since he was born. He's pretty laid back most days. He'd rather sit and watch the action and give a disapproving glare from the top of the refrigerator. Don't let him fool you though, he's a sly one. He was the first one to get on the pool table and go under the plastic to roll on the felt top, leaving his fur all over... totally negating the reason for the cover in the first place. Like most cats he comes to you when HE wants something; food, water, cuddles, etc. He will stand on the bathroom counter and demand water, calling to us with a loud, piercing shriek. He will ONLY drink water that is freshly poured for him. If it's been in the sink for more than 10 minutes it is too old and he doesn't want it. He's fussy, and we love him.
 

Maggie is a year old, and we've had her since she was five weeks old. She is our psycho cat. As I said in my other blog (Furbabies), she has Pica. She eats non-food items such as toilet paper, head-phone cords, plastic bags, house plants... nothing is sacred. It makes it very difficult to keep up with her, and we have to be very careful about what is left laying around. She darts through the house like a wild banshee and still somehow is the fattest of all our cats! She started out a petite, tiny orphan and ballooned into a full-on fluff-a-lump! She took over Duke's bed, and for whatever reason, he let her do it. Duke outweighs her by 50lbs but he's such a sweet guy and he loves her so much. He lays on the floor next to her, just looking at her, in his bed.

Angel is also a year old, and she is adjusting very well to our family. She's been here almost a month now, has gained 2lbs and has stopped yelling at Duke every time she sees him. Apparently on the outside she didn't have friendships with dogs because the first time she saw him her fur stood straight up and she got three times her size! She made the most awful sound I'd ever heard! It was obviously an immediate demand for the dog's demise!! They are now at least on speaking terms. They talk casually as they pass in the hall, still not quite friends, but no longer mortal enemies. Duke would love nothing more than to be her best friend, but she's not ready to commit to anything. In time I'm sure she'll come around just like the other two.

Duke is five, and we've had him for four years now. He's so much a part of my heart!! He follows the cats around, and he lets them drink out of his water bowl whenever they want to. If they walk up while he is drinking, he will stop drinking, back up, and let them drink. He waits until they are done and then goes back to the water bowl. How many dogs do you know who would do that? They play together, chase each other around the house and even share treats. When the cats get a Pouncy, Duke sits for one, too. :o) He is the silliest, sweetest dog I have ever met. He is always by my side and checks on me when he knows I don't feel well. It's amazing how "in tune" they are with us.

We're considering potty training the cats. I've heard that a lot of people have done it. It would save a lot of money in cat litter since we change the boxes twice a week! It would be really weird to get up in the morning and see one of the cats on the toilet (did you see the movie "Meet the Fockers"?) but it would be pretty cool! We'll see what happens.

Yes, we have a full house! We love all of them so much, I can't imagine them not being here. It does make more work, vacuuming, sweeping, dusting fur, scooping and changing litter boxes, but you can't put a price on love! In fact, the kids just asked me last night if we could get a hamster... hmmm... hamsters are cute!

Coast Guard Day!

Today we celebrated the 221st birthday of the Coast Guard! We went to the base for a BBQ, some volleyball, water slides, bounce house, and even a dunk tank! ;o) It's always a good time when you can dunk a co-worker!! I got to hang out with a few of my friends and have a good time. It was a much needed break from being sick in the house.

While the kids were playing, our youngest got knocked in the head by another boy who was jumping lanes on the water slide. The result was a huge, perfectly round bruise on his beautiful cheekbone. :o( Later this afternoon I was surveying the "damage" and said to him, "Oh, my sweet baby". He looked me right in the eye and with a little smirk said, "It's OK Mom. Chicks dig scars." Yep, he takes right after his father!! LOL Seven years old and ready to take on the world and all the girls in it!! ;o)

So, yes, we had a good time. I took a ton of pictures, as expected. I love my camera. I really want a new lens, but the one I want is SUPER expensive, so I'm saving my pennies. I can do a lot with the two I have, and for now they will work fine. I just know that I could be doing more, if I had the additional equipment. All in good time...

Anyway, I'm tired and that's all I have for today. Not the usual blog you're used to, I know, but I'm drained!! Maybe tomorrow I'll feel more whimsical, deep, thoughtful or introspective. Who knows what the day will bring?

Happy Birthday U.S. Coast Guard!

It's Time!

Yep! It's that time again... back to school! New uniforms, socks, shoes, even underwear! These kids have outgrown it all! Add to that the supplies that are "required" to stock not only their own desks and backpacks, but also the entire classroom, and we are well into the hundreds!

I now have one in 2nd grade and one in 10th. It's amazing how fast time goes by, and how soon my oldest will be in college!! COLLEGE!? We've been talking about schools, his plans for the future, career paths and such. Each time, his younger brother gets teary-eyed at the thought of his best buddy leaving home without him, so now we've had to start discussing it privately.

Our oldest ended last year on the Honor Roll and I have no doubt this year will be the same. :o) Had there been an Honor Roll for 1st grade I know our youngest would have been on it. He reads well above his grade level and is as smart as a whip! They are both extremely smart young men, although the oldest forgets to apply himself from time to time. I've been told that comes with being a teenager. ;o)

Like most parents, I'm full of hope and high expectations for the year to come. I've really enjoyed having them home this summer and being able to spend more time with them. The ability to be a stay-at-home Mom is truly an amazing blessing! Don't get me wrong, I DO enjoy my peace and quiet!! But my kids are my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

"BFF" (Best Friends Forever)

When we were in high school and wrote "BFF" on our yearbooks, I don't think I ever could have imagined how true that would actually be in the years to come.

My best friend, Cindy, is truly one of the MOST amazing people I have ever met! She has a heart the size of Texas and always has the best advice. The advice part sort of comes naturally, and then she took it all the way to the top and got her PsyD!! (Doctor of Psychology) I am ridiculously proud of her!! She is like a sister to me, and my kids call her "Aunt Cindy". She is also their Godmother.

Speaking of the kids... she was also the first one to know that I was pregnant, every time! She was actually with me when I found out I was pregnant with my first. She was at my house visiting, and I told her I thought I was pregnant. We went to the store to get a test and had some other errands to run. I wanted to go home first and take the test, but she wanted to finish our errands!! I was so excited to find out, even though I was almost positive that I was pregnant, and she wouldn't let me go home until we finished our errands!!! I was dying to know!! LOL So we finished, I pouted to entire time, and when we got home I ran to the bathroom to take the test. A few minutes later we were jumping for joy and I was crying hysterically! I WAS PREGNANT!

When I found out I was pregnant with my second, we were in different states, but as soon as I took the test I called and told her, she was the FIRST to hear the news again!! I cried because I remembered the first time, six years earlier, and realized again how much I missed her.

Cindy and I shared a LOT of great times together. We weren't "crazy" kids. We were in Marine Corps ROTC together, and when we first met, she didn't like me. I was an upperclassman, and was the Battalion Commander, in charge of the unit. I carried myself as such and she thought I was a... uh... well, you know. I was strict. I was serious about the unit, it was important to me. I was on Rifle Team, Drill Team and I taught Freshman ROTC. Over the summer I went in and rebuilt the rifle range with another student and our instructors. I also worked on new manuals and rearranged the stock and supply rooms. It was serious business to me. (So serious, in fact, that I joined the Marine Corps my senior year and shipped off to boot camp in the fall of that year!) The other student and I worked the entire summer before our senior year, and we worked hard. This other student, well, he became my boyfriend, and then my husband, and then eventually my ex-husband, but that part of the story comes later. Yeeeah... anyway. Cindy and I worked together on Rifle Team, and started spending more time together, and soon she learned that the hard-nose approach was only for work, and I was not ALWAYS like that, and we became fast friends.

When Cindy went to get her driver's license she needed a vehicle to drive. I told her she could use my truck. (Well, my parent's truck, the one they bought and paid for, but I drove and put gas in it, I paid insurance to drive, but it was not reeeeally MY truck.) Soooo, on the way to the DMV, Cindy was driving, we were almost there, driving past the college, and... a professor pulls out in front of us, hits the truck, takes out the entire driver's side, pushes us off the road, down the bank, past a sign, between two poles... OH MY GOSH!! Cindy did great though! She maneuvered down the embankment like a pro. If I'd been the DMV guy I would have given her a license! She certainly proved she could drive! But we obviously didn't make it there to prove anything to anyone. No, Cindy was not getting her license that day, and I had to call my Dad and tell him that his truck was wrecked.

It all worked out though. My parents were upset but they got over it. It wasn't Cindy's fault after all! The guy pulled out and hit us! We got the truck fixed, and it went on to be wrecked again, and again... and again. No one ever really got hurt though, it was amazing! That truck must have had an angel in the engine.

Once we sneaked out of town to see two Army guys that we were "dating" in Alabama. I was allowed to go, she did not have permission. We told her Grandmother we were going to see them, but she thought they were in town visiting my guy's Mom. Her Grandmother called the house and the Mom told her that he wasn't at home. Busted! That was when I got my first speeding ticket. :o(  We never lied to her Grandmother again.

We got a job working at Pizza Hut together, and THAT was a BLAST!! (My middle brother worked there for a while, too and then it was even crazier! LOL I love him to death, too.) We had a great time at work. Part of the story that she hates for me to tell, is that we dressed up as clowns for Kid's Night sometimes. She was actually really good at it! ;o) I loved doing it, she loved it too, but didn't want other people to know she was dressed up like a clown! LOL

We also volunteered at a Fire Department together. She was a Jr. Firefighter and I was on the support team. I got to drive the support truck with all the gear and make sure the firefighters had all their stuff, take care of them when they came out of the fire and whatnot. She got to wear all the gear and fight the fire! It was really cool!!

Cindy was very much into theater and I started working on shows with her. We built sets and worked backstage. My all-time favorite was "Man of La Mancha"! Between the cast and crew, it was awesome! Cindy was the stage manager and I was the house manager for that show. With the others she did a lot of sound and tech stuff. I liked to paint and build.

When I was married to my ex, I called on Cindy a lot for a listening ear. She was in college then, and I would go visit her. I went to quite a few of the frat parties with her and stayed in her dorm, in her friends dorm, in the apartment where she lived, and in the house she eventually moved to. I got to know her friends, and they became my friends, too. I went to see Cindy graduate with her Bachelors degree but my (now ex) husband and I were fighting a lot so I left early to go home and try to work things out with him over the weekend before I had to be back to work that Monday. I missed her graduation. When I got home, I found another woman in my house! She had been staying there with him while I was gone... he'd been having an affair with a co-worker. Cindy was, once again, there to catch me, because I fell hard. This woman was approximately the 10th person he had cheated with over the 8 years we were together. Cindy had been with me through it all but this time I needed her more than ever, and like always she was there!

I felt horrible for missing Cindy's graduation, and even worse when I really regained my senses. Cindy was there through my messy divorce and move back home, my rebuilding process and getting myself back on an even keel. She had moved back home by then, too and it was so great to have her around! Once again we got a job together, working under a contract job through the Department of Juvenile Justice. There were two facilities: residential and day treatment, so we didn't always work side-by-side, but we saw each other a lot.

I eventually left there and went back to school full-time. While in college, I met my husband, who was a Deputy Sheriff at the time. When we got married a year and a half later, Cindy was my Maid of Honor.

She has always loved my children and been there for them, she sends the most amazing gifts- you know, the noisy ones that parents never buy their own children! ;o) My oldest son has gone to stay at her house several times, even flying alone there and back. They also know they can call on her day or night should the need arise. She is irreplaceable.

So, how do you thank a person who listens to you talk for hours? A person who knows you inside and out and loves you despite your flaws and imperfections? A person who has been with you through thick and thin, all the horrible, messed up times in your life and never once walked away- even when everyone else did? She is truly the BEST best friend I could ever have hoped for in all the world. I never imagined, when I met her in high school, that we would be here, twenty years later. I love her SO much! She is amazing, wonderful, sweet, strong, beautiful, SMART, and caring and I don't think I could ever tell her enough how much she means to me and my family.

I try to be a great friend to her in return, but I know I haven't always lived up to my part. I get caught up in my life and my messes and I forget that other people have messes, too. I am trying to do better, so I can fulfill my "best friend" duties. I know I need to call more often! LOL And I have presents that I bought her in Vegas that I still haven't mailed! I'm working on it... because I love her so much, and I don't know what I'd do without her!

P.S. Now that she's married, I can't wait until she has kids so I can spoil them rotten!! (Hint, hint) <3