Soul Sista

I was going to begin this post by telling you all about my eyes and how I have been battling them hurting and burning today and how I'm completely exhausted because of it. I even had a really catchy title for it. But, instead of boring you with details of my physical aliments, I thought I'd bore you with what's really going on...my mental aliments.

Have you ever had someone in your life that you knew God had blessed you with? Someone that you just knew was a gift sent straight from heaven to bless your life and the life of your family? Well, I have that person and just as we were beginning to form an amazing friendship, she had to move away. Not only to a different house and a different county, but a different city far, far away. And I miss her. Let me tell you how we met.

When I was pregnant with Little Man, I worked on the pediatric floor of the local hospital. I always said God put me there at that time on purpose to help me deal with motherhood. :) While there, I met this amazing little boy who was so full of joy and smiles that he melted your heart every time you looked at him. The kicker is, most of the time he was in ICU and would come in at night. So if I hadn't been put on this oddball night shift for the few weeks that I was, I may not have ever gotten the opportunities that I did to get to know him and his mom. I remember sitting on the floor behind the nurses station during the night talking with this woman, telling stories and laughing as quietly as possible so we didn't wake the other patients. It was the way we could keep a close eye on her son but still keep each other awake. When I got moved to the day shift I didn't get to see them as much but still on occasion I'd sneak back to the ICU when I knew he was there to say hi to him and his mom. You see, this little boy was not going to get better...ever. And there came a point where we all knew it and had to accept it. It was just a matter of time before God took him to heaven and took all his pain away. The hardest part about this little boy's story is that his condition that took him at such a young age started with just a simple toddler temper tantrum. It wasn't cancer, or another common disease...it was a condition that was only discovered because he threw a fit. As time went on, I delivered Little Man and was at home recovering. I knew that I was going to become a stay at home mom and not go back to work, but I still called and checked on this certain little boy in the middle of the night during nighttime feedings. Then one night, my friend told me it happened. He was gone. I cried and cried. I cried for the family, I cried for the nurses, I cried for myself. It just wasn't fair. I often found myself wondering about his mom and family and if I came across someone who knew them, I would ask a dozen questions trying to make sure they were okay.

Now, fast forward 6 1/2 years...I walked in to church one day and saw her. This little boys mom was standing in the very same room that I volunteered in every week. My heart went to my stomach and I was just sure that she would never want to speak to me or even acknowledge that she knew me because let's face it, we didn't know of each other from the best of circumstances. But what she did amazed me and touched me. She smiled and introduced me to her husband. See, I hadn't met him much during those nights at the hospital and when I left I was 9 months pregnant so I didn't even look the same. Even if he had met me from the hospital, it was highly unlikely he recognized me years later. I was amazed at her grace and strength. She could have run away because just being around me reminded her of her son but she didn't. She embraced me and made me feel at ease. She saw past the circumstances of our acquaintanceship and saw me as a mom, wife, volunteer, and a friend. She is truly an amazing woman.

As time went on, we became very good friends and were blessed to spend some time together at a children's conference in Chicago last year. We stayed up talking to all hours, we laughed together, we cried together, we even slept in the same bed to save money. Now that's friendship! :) When I got home from that trip, I remember telling Jerod, "Honey, it's like she's my soul sister! I have found friendship with her that most people only dream about!" We spent many hours together getting our church ready for upcoming events, our daughters were becoming two peas in a pod and I completely blame her for getting me into the marathon I ran later on in the year. :) She was just what I needed in a friend and I could finally say that I trusted someone to be myself around them.

About two months later, she called me to tell me that they had to move to Houston. What!!!?? NO! Her husband got a job there and they had to make the move because living apart wasn't working out. Why? It was like God gave her to me and then took her right away. Why after being reunited after all that time from our previous situation? I didn't understand the reasoning and still don't, but it happened. In August, my family helped them load up and we drove the 14 hours down there to help them move. It was one of the most emotional times of my life. See, through all of this, not only were WE becoming friends, but our families were bonding too. My hubby doesn't open up to many people, but in Todd he found a true friend. Little Man looks up to their teenage son that makes me smile. He's a great kid to look up to. A perfect example of what I would like my son to be like. We laugh together, we play around and tell jokes, we tease each other. Just like they are our own blood. We're family. As we pulled out of Houston a few days later, I really didn't know what to expect. I'd never known someone to stay in touch after moving away but I felt this was going to be different.

We do try and keep up the best we can. I know I can count on her to pray for us at a moment's notice, and we do the same for them. But I can't hug her, I can't just drive over to her house and sit and chat with her, I can't go run with her, I can't have her daughter spend the night and listen to her and Princess share giggles. I can't have her family over for dinner to share fun moments together. I miss her. I miss her family. I miss giving them hugs. I miss getting to talk to her on a regular basis. I miss my soul sister and I'm needing some time with her. It's been the longest amount of time between face to face visits since they moved and I'm feeling it.

If you're still reading this....wow....thanks for letting me unload. I know not feeling well has me a bit emotional and weepy and this is how I decided to handle it. If you have a friend that was given to you by God, love on them today and tell them you appreciate them. Don't take your time together for granted. And recognize that they are a God given blessing. It's like I tell my soul sista, "We may not share the same blood, but through God, you are my family."