Favorite Foto - SUNDAY?!?

I know, I know... late as always... but better late than never for this fantastic theme from Sarah over at Kiss the Frog 4 Me: FRIENDS!

I write often about by BFF, Jenn, but I wanted to take this public opportunity to tell everyone why I consider her my BEST FRIEND: especially since it is her BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday Jenny Pooooo!

How many of you have a friend that is not "exactly like you?" How many of you have a BFF with whom you did not exactly "start out" so friendly?

See, Jenn and I did not start out as "friends" exactly. We went to high school together.... were a few years apart in a small school - I'll let you try to figure out who is older and who is younger! Everyone gets it wrong! We weren't in the same circles of friends, so we did not know one another much (although we went to a very small school, so we knew one another and knew everyone that each other knows). She got married right out of high school to a great guy and moved away; I went off to college... we both had children..then came back here to live... many jokes are made by my husband that no one ever moves out of this town... and if they do, they move back!

Well, Jenn and I found ourselves many years later as part of the same new youth non-profit organization while our kids were involved. That was about 6 years ago. I had a daughter cheering, and she had a son playing football. I was the cheer advisor, and at the time, there was not football advisor. Irritated with the lack of information she felt she was getting on her side and the over-abundance of information I was providing my cheer parents, Jenn shot off an email with a "tone." I then shot off an equally "less than pleasant" response telling her to get involved if she wanted more information. She did. That never happens.

That is what drew me to her immediately. She got involved. She saw something that needed fixing, and she stepped up and DID SOMETHING. Of course, I did not love that she was irritated with me initially, but out of this shared frustration, built a bond. She ended up being the football advisor which caused us to work closely together. Little did we both know that she would end up being a co-Junior Varsity cheerleading advisor - a woman with THREE sons - AND she would end up being my husband's secretary. She will never know how comforting it is to have someone looking after my husband... knowing your best friend is there having his back is such a cool thing, huh?

There are many things that I love about Jenn, but the main thing I like is that she is who she is. I like that she is a "tell it like it is" person. She has given me strength through some times that seemed impossible to see the end of the tunnel... she was there pushing me towards the light.... well, kicking me from behind telling me to keep the hell moving!

She will never know how loved she is by me, how much I admire her, how strong I think that she is, how much strength she has given to me

and just how lucky I am to have her in my life....

BFFs - Jenn and Jill

Her wonderful oldest son, Cameron (with Alli opening night)

Her handsome middle son, Dustin (and dorky me!)

Sweet, Sweet Baby Boy, Chase

She keeps up with my little man and has prepared me about how to raise a boy. When times were tough the first 2 months, she listened patiently... and when it was time to tell me to "get over myself" and get moving, she did that, too! I SO needed that!
She makes him squeal with delight!
How could I not think of her as family when she looks at my son like this?

and holds my daughter like this?

and supports me through anything and everything....even when I don't deserve it and OFTEN - way too often - don't reciprocate.

You are the best friend anyone could ask for.

Thanks for being mine,