Friendship, part 1

I've been out of college now for ten years. I spent about two years after that in the restaurant business. During college and those next two years, I was never without something to do or someone to talk to. I had friends, a lot of friends, many of whom I still keep in contact through social media. But there came a point in December of 2004 that I lost most of those friends. The circumstances surrounding that time of my life will have to be saved for a later post because my point tonight is to really talk about friendship.
From January of 2005-June of 2011, I can say I felt extremely alone. Yes, I had my husband, Matt, but I had very few friends. Nothing like I had in college. There were people I worked with, people I went to church with, but when it came down to wanting to hang out, eat dinner, or go to the movies with a girlfriend, I just didn't have it.
But since last year, God has blessed me with some amazing people. I think I may take the next couple days to just focus on one person at a time.
The first person I want to gush on is my friend, Cynthia. I don't know really when it was that we decided we were going to be friends. We were in the same small group together for a while, so that's how it started. But somewhere along the line we went from "small group friends" to just friends.
Cynthia is an amazing woman. She takes care of her family, she is an awesome mother, and she goes above and beyond in her relationships...with really everyone. She is a great photographer, and spends time volunteering at one of the local animal shelters, taking pictures of the dogs so people can look at them online, and they (the dogs) can hopefully find homes. Her heart is so large. She is passionate about her friendships. She is passionate about helping those who can't help themselves. She is passionate about her relationship with God. I am so beyond blessed to have her in my life. I feel like God just knew that I needed a friend like her. I needed friends. period. but Cynthia definitely brightens my life. I wish I could express it in better words than that. Take for instance today, I'm pretty much stranded at home because we have a little bit of a spastic dog. I needed an item, she bought the item, and went out of her way to bring it by my house tonight...in the cold and rain. She helped me chase down the aforementioned spastic dog on Sunday when he escaped out of the house. She really is there whenever I need her! Thank you, Cynthia! I LOOOOOOOVE you!

New Year's Resolution...a little early

Something that I love, that I have always loved, is writing. Am I the best writer in the world? Not even close. Do I make grand, thought-provoking statements that encourage everyone to live life differently or better? Rarely. So, why should I write? And why should you read it?
Good questions. I don't know if you should read it or not, but I think I do know why I should write.

I don't think that I have had the love for as long as I have because I'm just supposed to sit on it and keep it to myself. As pretentious as it may sound, I believe that writing is the gift that God has given me. It would be wrong of me never to use that gift or to keep it to myself.
So, my early new year's resolution is to write every day. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I may work on one of my many "stories" I've started over the years, I may hand write a letter to a friend, I may write down my struggles with weight loss, my frustration with the crazy kiddos that invade my house each day, my love for those same crazy kiddos, my back and forth desire (or lack of desire) to expand our family. I don't know what it will be, but I will be writing, and I will be sharing. Here. On my blog I have had for well over a year that has very few posts, and very few followers. :) You all are so lucky to embark on this journey with me.
Who knows, maybe you will read here the ideas for my first published novel??? :)