*Friendship*

Friendship comes in all shapes and sizes..... race or culture.......long hair or short.....neighbor or distance between......no matter how you describe your friend, there is nothing like having one. or 2,3, or4 Just ask the two above- that would be Samuel and September Moon. What tempted me to write about friendship and post these particular photos is due to my recent conversations with my Gracie. My dear Gracie is going through something at this time in her life....it's personal.....it's heart breaking......it's not what any woman wants from her marriage.... I'm trying to keep her spirits up.....I'm trying to make her laugh as I always have done in 22 years.....I'm trying to be a friend.

Like any friendship, it takes patience and understanding. There are boundaries and there is trust. Like a marriage

There are moments of frustration and there are memories that can be made into precious stepping stones. In a friendship- the relationship is formed, molded, sewn or stitched.

I like to think of my friendship with Gracie as a tapestry that has been created over the past 22 years. In this tapestry there have been threads that came loose....we mended the torn threads....there have been new memories added to our tapestry as well. We have been able to watch this tapestry of friendship catch us when we fall, when we failed, when we traveled through some of the darkest hours of our womanhood wrapping us in comfort.....this tapestry has given us such a cozy feeling.....it has caught the rain for us while antiquing on an October day......it has been used for Chinese food evenings and apple dumpling mornings.

Now, when my friend needs me the most.....I found myself running out of tapestry. I have tried so hard to say and do the "right thing" for her. For us, for our friendship

I try to avoid saying "things will get better", "look at your future"...... oh, please

What I'm trying to say to her is what helped me get through some of my hours of weakness....my moments of doubt and not too long ago, my fear(s) of everything coming to a dead end after so much planning and changes that have been made.

Removing ourselves from the turmoil that we have found in our lives, whether we created it or someone has placed us in the messiness - and place our trust in Him is the only way.

I ask you.... will you place Gracie in your prayers? I love her like a sister and it hurts in my heart to see her suffer in sadness. She knows me all too well.... she knows I've been down this road a long long time ago.... and she knows I got through it. But when the "shoe is on the other foot" I dislike cliches it is much harder to digest what others are saying, advising, suggesting..... all we can do is listen.
Like a good friendship~ China Doll and her BFF are proud to be sewing their memories into the tapestry.
"Gracie & a little Apple Cheeks with me on our opening day of Simple Dimple! {5/2008}
Family tapestry is just as beautiful..... my Eva and I. Eva is not only beautiful on the outside, she is the most genuine person I think my family {as well as Gracie} has ever been blessed to have in our lives.

As you see....friendship comes when you least expect it. Apple Cheeks is posing with a band member of The Dialogue. This band member and Apple Cheeks formed a friendship from first sight..... as you can see, she became the bands official PR girl! Gracie's son is the lead singer!

Friendship. Now, I'm going to pick up the phone and call Gracie...... my friend.

Peace&Love,

Lis