My Alphabet of Gratitude...Letter F is for Friends

"Friends are treasures"~~Horace Bruns
Friends are indeed treasures. They are a lifeline, a shoulder. Friends are a sounding board, a pick-me-up, a taxi service and a babysitter. Friends are cooks, photographers, comedians and critics. Friends love us through the good and the bad. Through the thick and the thin. I would count myself very blessed to say I had but one of these friends. I am happy and humbled to say I have numerous. Many people have come into my life and blessed me with their spirit and their energy. I appreciate and love each and every one of them. I have new friends and old friends. Each one of them is unique and they each give me part of that uniqueness as an influence in my life.

Joan Walsh Anglund said "Friendships begin because, even without words, we understand how someone feels". This is how I feel about my Rhizokids group. I don't know how I ever survived without them, but I never want to do it again. For me, to be able to go onto facebook everyday and see what's going on in their lives, to see their children's beautiful smiles and bright eyes makes me so happy. To be able to be supported and also support someone is life changing. They are my family in a way. Their kids are my kids. We understand what it is like to raise a child with the difficulties that come with Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata. A word I didn't even have to think about to type, it just flew off my fingertips automatically, and the real kicker is, most doctors ask ME how to spell it...I find that really funny. I know whatever my kids go through their kids probably go through and it is more comforting than words can say to know someone understands how you feel. I love my Rhizokids friends so much. I really want them to know that. So many of them and yet the group is incredibly small if you think about it on a world wide basis. Each one of you have helped me in your own way and I hope I have done the same for you. I have made a few special friends among you and I am truly grateful for this. I look forward to meeting one of these special friends. Megan has made such a wonderful connection with her and this is so amazing and touching to me as a mother. To see someone love and care for your child with disabilities as much as you do can be a very dramatic thing. It brings me to tears to watch Claire talk to Megan on the computer. Megan has made her wish with Make-A-Wish and it is to have Claire flown from England to Utah to be able to spend a week with my precious Megan. I am so thrilled. I can't wait to see the two of them together!
"Friends are like windows through which you see out into the world and back into yourself...If you don't have friends you see much less than you otherwise might". This quote by Merle Shain makes me think of my friends from church. They help me see myself in a the way I believe God would. They are supportive, forgiving, and uplifting. They have brought me food, taken my families pictures, been there for me to work out my problems with, reminded me to keep the "eternal perspective" in mind, and have always made me laugh. I thank them for their kindness, for sharing their talents and time with me. Above all, I thank them for their faith, for their love of their Heavenly Father and for their beautiful perspective on a world that can be full of so much hurt. I have made inspiring connections with many people in this group, three of them stand out in my mind. One of them has made incredible connections with my children. Suzanne has learned to take care of my disabled children so well I feel very comfortable leaving them with her and that says A LOT. She is always there when I have asked of her, and I thank her. Another has taken the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. I am so very blessed to say my family has been among these masterpieces of hers. Amy has such a talent and she shares so willingly and gratefully, she ends up making you honestly believe she is the lucky one to have photographed your family. Incredible. Amy has been with me in very key moments of my life and she has never judged me and condemned me in any of them, she has only supported and uplifted me. She is such an example of faith and she has such a love for her Heavenly Father you can almost touch it. Did I mention she also has one of the most beautiful families I have ever had the pleasure of knowing? Last, but certainly not least, there is a friend who is so Christ-like, so humble, and so easy to talk to. Wendy is an angel in disguise, She has a way of making me feel good, of making me see the laughter in a situation I don't think I would have laughed at. We have had lunch together many times and I have enjoyed each and every one of them. I look forward to many more. She is a delight. A breath of fresh air and a true example of service. She is a warrior and a servant of her faith. I love her more than words can every say.
I have friends that I have never met. Friends that have come into my life thanks to the wonderful site called Facebook. Friends from different countries that I would have never had the opportunity of meeting had it not been for this. I love getting online and checking my Facebook and reading all the comments I have gotten from the wonderful people I have on my friends list. It truly makes me smile, it makes me feel not so alone in this world. As a person who has to spend most of her life inside of her house I can hardly put into words how much this means to me. I am not alone. I have a window to the world right in my bedroom. That knowledge helps me get through some pretty difficult times, especially at 3 in the morning. I have friends on Facebook that are reconnections from my school years. This is so much FUN! To be able to stay connected, even in a digital way, with friends from your youth can be great. I have been able to reconnect with a few of these friends also in very wonderful and interesting ways, I have even learned to love new TV shows because of one such friend. She is the creator of our group "Whovians" and she has truly brought a connection to my son and I that I would have never had. We have had numerous discussions and it has been delightful.
If this was the end it would be enough. I would be blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I am so very humbled to say it is not the end. I have one more friend. A friend that has been with me my whole life. If I did not take the time to thank her I would be a horrible friend indeed. I met her when I was around 2 or 3. I don't really remember. All I know, is that I have always known her. I love her more than I could ever say. She means more to me than I could ever tell you. We have been through things that would make you laugh and make you cry. We have conspired and planned together, we have written poetry and made future plans together. We think alike and often finish each others sentances. Did I mention how much I love her? I watched her grow up with a world of problems. I watch her be teased and shunned. I have watched her struggle with her self worth and continue to doubt herself to this day. How can I tell you how wonderful she is. The lessons she has taught me are priceless. She has taugh me paitience, understanding, empathy, love, family, and forgiveness. If it wasn't for my dear friend refusing to give up on me, I'm afraid I would be lost. I gave up on myself after Megan was born and I shut out the world for over 2 years. I had no phone, no TV and good luck getting me to answer the door. I know she thought about tossing in the towel on us. I know she thought about it because she is not afraid to tell me how she really feels. What matters is that she didn't, she pursued me and she wouldn't let me quit. She has told me she has always looked up to me, but I would like to tell her how much I look up to her, how much I know how incredibly special she is. My friend accepted a life that I believe she knew would be difficult. I know part of the reason she did it. I believe we had a pact, before we were born, to support and help each other. That is what we have done. You don't have to believe like I do to understand the value of a life-long friend. I often say we share the same brain cell. I do this jokingly but in a way it really is true. We are different in many ways but we love each other unconditionally and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you my dear friend. My friend's name is Beckie,  her name was on my first wedding cake....that is another story for another time though. I thank you my dear friend and I will love you for all eternity.
Clive Staples Lewis said "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another "What, you too? I thought I was the only one." I know that a lot of you can relate to many of the things I have said, at least I hope you can. I hope my friends I have now really feel appreciated. I cherish each and every one of you, I truly do. If I have made some new friends with this because you feel like you can relate than I say "Welcome!" I look forward to getting to know you and I hope we can learn from each other and enjoy life along the way".