...instead of sheep.

Tonight, I had some quiet moments...

Possibly... because I'm sitting here with my "hurt" foot up trying to recuperate..

But mostly just had some time to think...

I had a great friend tell me once...

"Sometimes we go through life so sure of ourselves.. and then we end up in a completely different situation than we planned.. we meet different people, take different roads and we realize that it was the best thing that ever happened.

We should defiantly count our blessings instead of sheep."

I totally believe that.

So to my dear friends...

To my "kindred" spirits..

I want each and everyone of you to know..

You have each blessed my life...
and continue to bless my heart... daily.

I won't mention names..
but each one of you know who you are.

And rather it's been cracking up in my kitchen... after we'd worked half the evening preparing this "great" meal and the electricity goes out right in the middle of it..

OR.. admitting that I made you eat dirt when I was 10 and promised it was chocolate. :)...

I know that must be where the whole overwhelming chocolate obsession came from... when you tasted the real thing.. it was over.

OR.. sitting for like forever in Barnes & Noble staring at cookbooks like goobers... so intellectual.. let me tell you...

OR... laughing first thing in the morning on the telephone about our sweet kiddos... and all of the adventures of the day... I would be lost without those priceless conversations..

OR... hanging out in the evening acting just like our parents... feet kicked back... drinking sonic sweet tea... and being so happy...

OR... driving through Dairy Queen wearing fake hair on our faces.... and nearly falling out when the pitiful drive-thru guy... choked.

OR.. learning to stuff manicotti noodles and making an assembly line... grab, stuff, laugh, grab, stuff, laugh...

OR... eating Japanese... then getting bored with learning to eat with chopsticks and giving ourselves walrus teeth instead... (at least, we made that sweet old man's birthday happy.)

OR.. running over in my robe to come have pancakes and let the kiddos watch Barney.. I treasure those times.

But even other than all the funny moments.

I've been SO incredibly blessed.

God has given me ... each and everyone of you.

..and you have touched my life.

Bigger than you've realized.

And I want you to know.... I pray for you often.

No matter how near or far you may be..

I'm thankful for every conversation,

every happy day we've shared and

every tear that we've probably shed.

I'm sitting here staring at the silent piano in my living room.

My Dad told me a while back...

"Every home needs music.. it adds some life."

..Like music, friends add life to our days.

..and now the sound of the old piano echos through my house

and I'm reminded of the geniune truth in Daddy's words.

After reading this...
I hope if you have a moment in your day,
I hope let someone know just how much you love them.

Pick up the phone..

Plan a lunch date.

Or even go stuff some manicotti..

Our true God-given friends are priceless.

Treasure them.

When you ask God for a gift,

Be thankful if he sends,

Not diamonds, pearls, or riches,

but the love of real true friends.

-Helen Rice