Friends - Old and New

Earlier this week I was thinking about how life would feel so empty without friends. I have been so blessed in my life with many friends. Some have been lifelong and some more recent. So....here's to friends!!!
I am one of the fortunate few to have a mother as a best friend as well as sisters. Not only my actual sisters but also my sister-in-laws! I am surrounded by amazing women in my family. They love God whole heartedly and live life with gusto. Life hasn't been easy for some of these women but they have persevered and I am better because of it.
I love those friends that you haven't seen for ages and you can pick up where you left off the last time. I have plenty of those friends. You don't feel guilty for not having been in touch for two years (or however long it has been). There is a mutual understanding that life has a way of marching on and since your lives don't intersect very often you are just grateful for the times you do see each other. I love "old" friends. The ones that are familiar and who you have walked with through a lot of your ugliness yet they still are loyal (lets here it for Miss Sherri B). Those friends are priceless and should be treated as such.
I love new friends too. Ones that you are learning about and in the process you learn more about yourself too. Sometimes it is awkward as you are feeling everything out and learning boundaries. But it is so stretching.
Mark and I realized tonight that we are incredibly blessed!! Our friends had a surprise shower for us to bless the arrival of Eden. It was amazing!! First of all, the decorations were beautiful and the food was oh so good. I'm just sorry you couldn't all be there. My favorite part of the evening by far was when everyone gathered around us and prayed over us. Man, these people really love Eden and are so excited for us, the boys and Eden! As I looked around the room there were some dear friends that go back almost 10 years, some of Mark's family and everyone else was relatively "new" friends. We have only known most of these people for 2 years yet they went out of their way to have a beautiful party and time to honor the life that is about to be transitioning into our house. So to Mark, Sara, Dan, Ranee, Matt, Ciara, Matt, Karlyn, Jonna, Justin, Becky M, Kim, Adam, Carrie, Lara, Barb, Marshall, Mom, Dad, Christine, Grace and anyone I may have missed - Thank you, thank you. For loving us, supporting us and sending us off with a party!! I would post a picture but since I wasn't told ahead of time about the party I didn't take my camera. I have some good posts coming up over the next three days or so. I will try really hard to be diligent and have Shane's post tomorrow.