Some days of your life feel like they add more days to your life. Honestly, not a lot of them in the past year have felt like they've done anything but take years off my life. If it wasn't bad health in the family, it was friend problems, and if it wasn't friend problems, it was just your normal funk...
BUT...When you do have those brilliant moments in life where you couldn't be more thankful, don't you just want to sit in them and be them for a while?
In the past few weeks, I have been loved SO well by so many of the people who love me the most, and I can't start to explain what a different place the world feels like when you just love and are loved well...
I turned a whopping 23 years old on the 15th, and the day was ushered in with NASTY weather. I woke up super early because a storm seemed to be reeking havoc on my roof, so I went on to Ashlea's to begin my birthday celebration day. All day long I was excited, but so dreading having to drag my friends around to celebrate my birthday in the pouring rain. I couldn't have possibly been more wrong about this night.
As always, my best friends showed up in full force. Ashlea and I went to Annie's house and started getting ready, and pretty shortly Quincee was joining the crew. We went on a fun-filled target run and then headed to Cabana for dinner.
Let me just tell y'all that I LOVE my best friends being best friends. I am a great friend-picker, if I do say so myself... and I do. We laughed and shared and danced and caught up, and my heart was so happy. We even got to hey tell/skype in some time with Summer, who I desperately missed. God has supplied my greatest need through His Son, and has been forever faithful to show me exactly who I need in my life to keep me facing Him.
Here's the time that I brag on my friends. If you don't wish to listen, you don't have to- but this may take a minute...
Ashlea is my light. She is fiercely loyal and will love you for better or for worse if you'll let her. She is a firecracker, and makes me laugh every time I talk to her. Some of the most idiotic times of our lives were spent together, and we made it through largely because of each other. She has long been known as an "honorary Campbell", as deemed by my father, and may have her chance to become a real live Campbell, if the dating situation with my brother continues the way that it has. Ashlea makes me proud to call her my friend every day. The person I have watched her become over the past 15 years is one you probably wish was your bff. : ) I love her and her daughter with everything that is in me, and I am forever grateful to have them in my corner.
Annie is just what God knew I needed. She, too, is incredibly loyal and loves with all that she has. There hasn't been a moment in our friendship when I've wondered if Annie would be a life-long friend. It was understood from day one that we would be calling each other with "daughter" questions at some point in life, and that our wedding albums and our daughter's wedding albums would contain pictures of each other... along with every other album in between. She has walked beside me through some of the hardest parts of "adult life" and will continue to do so... I would have it no other way.
Quincee is my saving grace. Our time together screams sunshine and laughter, but we'll kick some tail, too, if need be. We share hearts for African lovies, and I love having common dreams with her. Q is among my favorite people to share quiet time with. She's one of those souls that you just feel okay around- no words necessary, but sometimes that may be because we've already used them all. : ) I love that in such a short period of time, our friendship has become a forever one. Sometimes, we call each other just to rant, and when we've each said our piece about how horrible our day has been, we sleep easier because someone is sharing the burden. I am blessed on so many levels by our friendship, and love her more than words... teach me how to dougie.
Summer is my sunshine. She has the biggest heart in all of Nicaragua, and I'm sure of it! We were instant bff when we met at good ole FHU. Summer is my favorite kind of person- she has the most beautiful heart, the most fun personality, and the most intense love. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the friendship that God gave me in Summer. She is a constant encouragement and reminder of God's heart. She's my favorite way to use Skype & hey tell, and I miss her pretty much constantly. I fully expect us to be on another continent, barefoot, playing in the yard with our kids of different nationalities some day. Nothing would make me happier!
Thank you, God, for giving me just what I need, and knowing what I need better than I ever could. Thank you, Girls, for being my support system. My favorite people with which to laugh, cry, and dance, and some of my biggest blessings.
On top of my family, I have been given people like this to share my corner, pick me up, listen to my complaints, and love me hard- I mean... I couldn't be less deserving or more grateful.
God has given me above and beyond. Over and over again. And just keeps. on. giving.
love, love, love.
-kat
