I am a very lucky girl. I have several friends who live in my "best" category. The neat thing for me is that they are all "best" in different ways.
One of those best friends in my sweet, smart, deep, inspiring, loving, amazing friend Alison.
Last year I did something unforgiveable in my opinion. I forgot her birthday. And I don't mean I forgot and then remembered it the next day. I remembered it like three months later. It was a crazy time for me, but still it is no excuse to forget something as important as the day my friend was born and get the chance to celebrate her.
So this blog is dedicated to Alison for being such a wonderful friend to me. Happy Birthday Best Friend!
Alison and I met through church. In fact, she and her husband led a small group that my husband attended. We started hanging out and soon started spending lots of time with her and Herschel. This was eons before any of us had kids, so we spent lots of weekend nights playing cards and games and eating yummy food together.
Eventually, I joined Alison's Bible study group that she was leading through our church. This was even a better way to really get to know her. I learned that she, too, was an only child. I learned that she had grown up in Portales, NM, and gone to college in Minnesota at a private school. I learned that she and Herschel, who were just friends in high school, started dating the summer before they left for college and maintained an impossible long-distant relationship when Herschel moved to Norman to go to OU.
I learned that she couldn't stand it anymore and moved to Norman to take her last few hours at OU so she could be with Herschel in the same time as a couple. After years of dating, I learned they finally got married and settled here in Norman. I am so grateful! I would not have met them otherwise!
Mostly I learned about Alison's impeccable character. If Alison says something is true, you can count on it 100% every time. Alison has never said or done anything to hurt me in all the years I have known her. I wish I could say that I haven't hurt her, but she has forgiven my thoughtlessness. Even though I am forgiven, I wish I could take it back.
Alison has always been there for me, not just as a shoulder to cry on, but as someone to challenge me to do better when I needed to do better. And if she gives me things to think about, I always do. She challenges me in love and with enormous respect which I couldn't possibly deserve.
As my small group leader, Alison pulled me alongside her and showed me how to lead others in Christ. She encouraged me and eventually became my shepherd and coach as I co-led with her and then led many, many of my own groups. Any time I encounter something new, have a question, run into a problem, or even want to share my successes, Alison is the one I call. I respect her knowledge, her heart and her experience more than anyone I know.
Alison and our other best friend Jen invited me to Bible Study Fellowship. Well, actually they invited me a lot: beginning 2 years before I actually went. But when I did finally go, I was able to share my wonderful moments of learning and growth with Jen and Alison. BSF has revolutionized my spiritual life and hopefully made me a better Christ follower, wife, mother and friend. I’m glad she kept asking…
One of my favorite things about Alison is the way she loves not only her own children, but my children also. When Ryan was 5 weeks old and I had to go back to work, I trusted Alison to keep him five days a week. And despite the fact that her son Andrew was only 7 months old at the time, she loved both babies, held both babies, fed both babies (and oh screamed bloody murder when he was hungry) and took care of both babies just like a mom should.
When Will was born, she frequently traded me out for babysitting, too, because her second child, Beth, was just 6 weeks older than Will. Here we were raising our kids and sharing our most important life moments together. When Ryan was 3 and climbed the fence, fell and cut open his arm and needed stitches, she calmly handled it and called me. If I would have been there I would have called 911!
She has entrusted the care of all of her children to me on short trips, long trips and extended trips. She has returned the favor for me. And I trust her implicitly to love, care for and even discipline my children when they need it.
There are so many more things I want to say about Alison. She is a wonderful travel buddy. She is the one of the very best moms I know – her kids are amazing. She is a wealth of information. She has spurred my growing love of reading. She has amazing financial discipline and integrity. She is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self controlled. She loves God with all her heart and she walks with Him. She leads by example.
I love my dear friend and am grateful to God for her presence in my life. She is a calm breeze in my turbulent waters. She inspires me to learn more about God. She sets the example for me to be better at what I do. And she loves me despite all my flaws.
Happy Birthday Best Friend!
One of those best friends in my sweet, smart, deep, inspiring, loving, amazing friend Alison.
Last year I did something unforgiveable in my opinion. I forgot her birthday. And I don't mean I forgot and then remembered it the next day. I remembered it like three months later. It was a crazy time for me, but still it is no excuse to forget something as important as the day my friend was born and get the chance to celebrate her.
So this blog is dedicated to Alison for being such a wonderful friend to me. Happy Birthday Best Friend!
Alison and I met through church. In fact, she and her husband led a small group that my husband attended. We started hanging out and soon started spending lots of time with her and Herschel. This was eons before any of us had kids, so we spent lots of weekend nights playing cards and games and eating yummy food together.
Eventually, I joined Alison's Bible study group that she was leading through our church. This was even a better way to really get to know her. I learned that she, too, was an only child. I learned that she had grown up in Portales, NM, and gone to college in Minnesota at a private school. I learned that she and Herschel, who were just friends in high school, started dating the summer before they left for college and maintained an impossible long-distant relationship when Herschel moved to Norman to go to OU.
I learned that she couldn't stand it anymore and moved to Norman to take her last few hours at OU so she could be with Herschel in the same time as a couple. After years of dating, I learned they finally got married and settled here in Norman. I am so grateful! I would not have met them otherwise!
Mostly I learned about Alison's impeccable character. If Alison says something is true, you can count on it 100% every time. Alison has never said or done anything to hurt me in all the years I have known her. I wish I could say that I haven't hurt her, but she has forgiven my thoughtlessness. Even though I am forgiven, I wish I could take it back.
Alison has always been there for me, not just as a shoulder to cry on, but as someone to challenge me to do better when I needed to do better. And if she gives me things to think about, I always do. She challenges me in love and with enormous respect which I couldn't possibly deserve.
As my small group leader, Alison pulled me alongside her and showed me how to lead others in Christ. She encouraged me and eventually became my shepherd and coach as I co-led with her and then led many, many of my own groups. Any time I encounter something new, have a question, run into a problem, or even want to share my successes, Alison is the one I call. I respect her knowledge, her heart and her experience more than anyone I know.
Alison and our other best friend Jen invited me to Bible Study Fellowship. Well, actually they invited me a lot: beginning 2 years before I actually went. But when I did finally go, I was able to share my wonderful moments of learning and growth with Jen and Alison. BSF has revolutionized my spiritual life and hopefully made me a better Christ follower, wife, mother and friend. I’m glad she kept asking…
One of my favorite things about Alison is the way she loves not only her own children, but my children also. When Ryan was 5 weeks old and I had to go back to work, I trusted Alison to keep him five days a week. And despite the fact that her son Andrew was only 7 months old at the time, she loved both babies, held both babies, fed both babies (and oh screamed bloody murder when he was hungry) and took care of both babies just like a mom should.
When Will was born, she frequently traded me out for babysitting, too, because her second child, Beth, was just 6 weeks older than Will. Here we were raising our kids and sharing our most important life moments together. When Ryan was 3 and climbed the fence, fell and cut open his arm and needed stitches, she calmly handled it and called me. If I would have been there I would have called 911!
She has entrusted the care of all of her children to me on short trips, long trips and extended trips. She has returned the favor for me. And I trust her implicitly to love, care for and even discipline my children when they need it.
There are so many more things I want to say about Alison. She is a wonderful travel buddy. She is the one of the very best moms I know – her kids are amazing. She is a wealth of information. She has spurred my growing love of reading. She has amazing financial discipline and integrity. She is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self controlled. She loves God with all her heart and she walks with Him. She leads by example.
I love my dear friend and am grateful to God for her presence in my life. She is a calm breeze in my turbulent waters. She inspires me to learn more about God. She sets the example for me to be better at what I do. And she loves me despite all my flaws.
Happy Birthday Best Friend!
This is a lovely post. I'm just curious about how many ions had to pass before you decided to have kids. Or did you mean eons? Sorry, I couldn't help it.
ReplyDeletePoint take. Correction made. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I look back on those ole NL days there are some beautiful memories. One of them is your small group and the way you all have made such incredible friendships. I was just thinking about that the other day...somehow I think I'm jealous...what you and Alison and Jackie, Sarah, etc. have is beautiful. I wish Alison a happy day and all of you a great summer! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHarriet
you are sweet
ReplyDelete