Missing My Girls

I’ve really been missing my “back-home” friends lately.  I miss my close girlfriends-the ones that I can walk into the homes of without even knocking, go straight for the closet, pick out a shirt and say, “Can I borrow this tonight?” (a very shallow example of closeness but you get the idea) I expressed missing that closeness, now that I am in NJ, when talking on the phone to my friend Jackie the other day, and she reminded me, "we’re not really friends any more, we’re more like sisters at this point."  

This week I’m really missing my sister Shelley.  Not my biological or even adopted sister, but certainly my best friend.

According to FB we have 154 mutual friends.  We’ve been college roommates-shared a major, 4 life-changing summers on staff at Camp Loucon, campus ministry mission trips, a sorority, tents, road trips, double dates, Chinese food, hair dryers-straighteners-and curlers.

Pictured Above: At Natural Bridge State Park for a friend's Bachelorette weekend with Beth (far left) and Shelley (on my right)

We’ve memorized every episode of Friends acquiring the unique ability to find a show reference for nearly every life situation.   

We’ve cried and held each other’s hand through the worst broken hearts of our lives.  Laughed until we were giddy when we realized we’d found “the one.”  Listened in shock as we discovered our fiancés missed each other my just 30 minutes when buying our rings from the same amazing jeweler friend, and stood side by side, each taking a turn as Maid of Honor.

With Shelley & Jackie the day I found my Wedding Dress! 

She makes that face a lot. 

She helped me out of the ocean when I got stung by a jelly fish & then went back in with me that same day despite her own fear…only to have me get stung-again! 

She showed up when I needed more adult volunteers for my youth ministry, loved the heck out of those kids in the name of Jesus, and kept me sane with insane amounts of laughter along the way.

Pictured Above: My youth group at Ichthus Music Festival 07- Shelley & I are down in front. Look carefully & you'll see our Jeweler, back left, in yellow! And the two of us relaxing in the youth workers tent-don't look too carefully at this one-we hadn't showered in days! 

She showed up when I had to prepare for a colonoscopy, coaching me through the drinking as if it were a shot contest!

She showed up with a bag of frozen peas when I called her shocked and crying after falling flat on my face, literally, breaking my nose.

She & her husband Kyle showed up when we needed help moving across the country…who does that!?

Pictured Above...Our first double date (and one of my first ever dates with Jonny!) with what would turn out to be our husbands.  I'd say it was love at first sight for the boys! 

She showed up when my Dad passed away-stayed through three days of visitation, a burial, and a memorial service. 

Pictured above...Sorority Sisters that showed up at the funeral home to support me.  Shelley is on the far left.  Don't let the photo fool you, there are 6 more children that belong to these girls not pictured!  

So it’s killing me that I can’t show up, yet again, for the birth of baby #2.  Any day now I will get a text letting me know it’s happening.  I will spend the rest of the day clutching my phone, just like the last time, teetering between giddy excitement and sobbing because I can’t just-show up.  I’m too far away.  Some friendships are so deeply apart of my “being” that not “being there” just feels wrong! 

I miss you Shell & I love you with all of my heart!