A friend is someone who always stands beside you!

Something I have never had to deal with is people in my life moving away. Almost all, and I mean ALL my family is here is the great state of Oklahoma. And I have a HUGE family. Some of Brandon’s family lives out of town but the majority of them is here too.

There is this girl; not related by blood but a kindred spirit. She kind of means a lot to me. We met at church and have been “best friends” since her tenth birthday. 

We told each other secrets. Had a billion sleepovers. Laughed about stupid things until we cried. Cried about stupid things until we laughed. Got each other into and out of trouble. She was there when I got my drivers permit, I was there when she got hers. Went to Africa together more than once. We walked the graduation isle together. Worked at the same job. We were bridesmaids in each other’s wedding.  (She tripped in my wedding and I was glad because that is who she is.) We both married men in the ministry.  She witnessed the birth of my first born and was there just seconds after my second born. I witnessed the birth of her first born. The list could go one for miles.

We just get each other.

Yes, this is Brandon, Alisha, Lauren, and myself. :) Oh, the good old days! I have many more old pictures but they are not on my computer. Maybe I will dig them out and post them on Alisha's birthday. :)

 

After I got married we didn’t get to hang out as often as we had in the past. The phone calls stopped coming like they did when we were kids. But regardless of how often we talked we made an effort to get together every now and then to catch up. It was never awkward when we got together. We simply picked up right where we left off.

Do you understand the kind of friend I am talking about here? A rare treasure.  

My friend is leaving; her family it moving out of state. It’s not that I saw her even once a week while they were here. But it is merely the fact that I can’t see her even if I wanted to that makes it so difficult.

We spent some time together at the zoo this past week before she left.

It was weird to say good-bye. How do you bid someone farewell who is actually moving for good?

Because I feel in my heart this is a rather dramatic matter I shall quote Anne of Green Gables as she speaks to Diana after she has been forbidden to see her dear friend.

“Farewell, my beloved friend. Henceforth, we must be strangers living side by side... but my heart will be ever faithful to thee.”  

This card pretty much sums up our friendship in the most perfect way.

I have nothing more to add to the beauty of our friendship.

Someone get me a tissue.

 Love you Alisha!

Rachael