Good Friends Take Time

It takes time to make true friends. It takes years. It doesn't happen overnight. I fully expect to have lots of friends in Fillmore. But the establishment of solid, trusted friendships just takes time. On Monday I went to breakfast with my friend, LaNice. I was assigned to be her visiting teacher 4 years ago. I knew her, but not well. For the first couple years I felt like she was testing me. She'd say shocking things and sometimes I wonder if she wanted to see if I would go away. I didn't. We've spent time visiting, sewing, laughing and crying. Right after we found out we were moving I went to see her and she sat me down in her big, comfy chair and covered me with a quilt she was finishing so I could mourn for a minute. She showed up a few days later with that quilt so I could take a bit a her love with me.

Tuesday we headed out to Rexburg so I could visit with my friend Suzette. We met in the gardens at BYU-I close to her gardens. I took the kids with me, thinking they would enjoy exploring the gardens while we visited. I was wrong. The hovered close by the whole time. Still I got to hear about her joys and struggles with being a new wife and mother. I got to share some of my secret struggles and joys. We've been friends 20 years. It is nice to have that much history with a friend.

Emma had the camera while we were talking and took all kinds of pictures, including these ones.

That same day we met up with Debbie as well. We only had about a half hour with her, but it was wonderful for all of us. Debbie is my friend and the wife of my doctor, the one who delivered four of my babies. They moved from the valley several years ago. To the children, the Debbie and her family are magical people. They know how to have fun and keep a little childish joy in their lives. In true fashion she took us all to get a frozen butter beer. Who else, but Debbie would do such a thing? It began to rain so we sat in the car and visited for a few minutes. Our short visit left us with a little of the happy magic that comes from being around Debbie.


The next day my friend, Dana, stopped by because she was going to be gone this coming week. She was my first friend in the valley. She is my mothering friend. When our children were little we did a lot together. We talked through our mothering difficulties, shared things we'd found to stretch our incomes, and had several of our babies at the same time. She and her family have been so important in our lives. My younger children know her as their school counselor. She saw McKay through some rough spots in 2^nd grade. She's been there a lot for Harold as he went through hard things during his counseling years. Our visit was short that day, but behind it was a rich legacy of love.



That afternoon I went down to my neighbor and friend, Avery and sat on her porch one more time. We've spent many summer days in the shade of her porch. We've spent hopeful spring mornings there and mellow autumn afternoons. We've shared the stories of our lives, crisis of our faith and encouraged each other in our journey. Her children have been good friends to my children.

Friends are so important in my life.  Something happens when you are far from family.  Your friends become your family.  It's just what happens.  Leaving these friends feels like leaving family.  I'm so grateful for good friends and the blessing they and so many others in this valley have been in my life.