Jamie

I have been in 1 fist fight in my life. It was with my best friend and it involved a pair of Abercrombie and Fitch shorts and Doc Marten shoes. We were seniors in high school. I can't remember how it started or why, but there was crying involved. And mean words. And more crying. Her dad had to break it up and we didn't speak for 6 months after the incident. 

Jamie and I met when we were 14. She didn't like me at first, she thought I wore my shorts too short and too much makeup. She didn't realize that my shorts were normal length, it was my long legs

that made them appear shorter. She was right about the makeup though. I was completely oblivious to the fact that she didn't like me and spent half of freshman year hanging around. Pa-thetic. A handful of fake-nice encounters later, we became best friends. We actually bonded over Jesus. She loves Him, I love Him: a friendship made in heaven. We remain BFFs to this very day. 

Our relationship has been tumultuous at times. Reference the first sentence in paragraph 1. It has been said that we fight like sisters. I don't have a sister so I don't know what that's like. All I have is Jamie and we fought a lot over the years. There have been Dr. Peppers dumped in cars, clothes thrown off the 14th floor balcony of our hotel room on senior trip, secrets exposed, hurtful things said, disagreements about nothing that lasted too long. 

Some have wondered why or how we remained friends after all of that. It's pretty simple really. More than all of the fighting there has been encouraging, supporting, fun, hysterical laughter, inside jokes that simultaneously crack us up and bring us to tears, accountability, complete honesty, a connection that seems to be destined, and love. We really, really love each other. Deeply, unconditionally, completely. She is the peas to my carrots. The cream cheese to my bagel. She gets my jokes even when she doesn't find them funny. She has seen me through the worst, most painful, ugly seasons of my life and has celebrated the happiest ones right by my side. She loves my babies like her own and tells me I'm a good mom. She owns a piece of my heart and is so dear to me. We are best friends. Sisters.

I miss her. She will be here in 2 weeks. Oh happy day, my heart will be complete once again!!

Jamie hates to have her photo taken. While this one doesn't capture her true beauty, it is an excellent example of her feelings regarding candid photography. 

 22 seconds. Snowflakes. Mama. Tall, tall trees (even though I never said that).