A week of thanks...

This week I plan on taking each day on my blog and writing about something I am grateful for. And today I want to start by talking about friends.

I have always been blessed in my life with really good friends. I feel very fortunate for this and have always realized what a blessing that is. I remember being in junior high and being sad to move onto high school and thinking there is NO way I will have better friends ever in my life than I do in junior high school. I moved onto high school and literally had the best girl friends in the world. I thought the same when I went to college, it would be impossible to have as good of friends in college as I did in high school and sure enough I found great amazing friends.

Today the one friend I would like to focus on is a friend from Chicago. I had some really great friends there. I feel so blessed to call so many ladies there my really good friends.

When we moved into the Chicago ward at church I wasn't sure I would find any friends that I really liked, like the ones in Provo. I just decided it was up to me to find friends and if I wanted good friends here I would have to put forth the effort. I went to Enrichment night and looked down the table and saw a familiar face. I could have swore it was my best friend growing up, Jodi. As I got closer it wasn't. I knew it wasn't her, but it sure looked just like her. I introduced myself and told her the similarities she had to my friend and I am sure she wondered what kind of crazy lady she was talking to.

About a month later this sweet lady called me and asked if I would be interested in coming over to her home and can some pickles. Ok first, I am not sure if anyone knows of my love for pickles, but I REALLY love pickles, so of course I said yes. And I was dying for a friend so I was so excited to get to know her better.

At the time we only had Bennett so I packed him up and over to Lincoln Park we went. Her home was just beautiful. I am talking homes you see in movies or magazines and the most amazing part of the home were two things, the kitchen and the warm feeling you had by being there. This kitchen was just amazing. I wish I had pictures, which I wouldn't post for her privacy, but I would like to have pictures for memories myself:). They were also just finishing up the remodel in there. It was really fun to see the before and afters.

I got there and we instantly hit it off. She is just so kind and makes you feel so comfortable. We talked and talked and talked. I knew instantly that she would go down in the books for just a really good friend and person. She has. At the time she was expecting and I wanted to be. I talked to her for many hours about that and she was so helpful and giving me lots of pointers and information. I still think she has some part in getting my twins here. I think of her often when I think of them and am so grateful for her advice and inspiration.

From our day canning we got together many other times. While I was there canning she asked many questions about dental school. We were new to the whole dental school and still so nervous about how it was all going to work out. Living downtown going to dental school was not cheap. The semester loan they would give us was about 1200 dollars short of what we needed to pay rent for the semester and that was just for rent not including food, car, etc., etc.,. A few weeks later she called me and asked if I would be interested in watching their darling little girl while she ran errands a few times a week. Of course I would, she was so sweet the perfect little girl. I did that for a while and it was so fun and we made just the right amount to pay our monthly expenses. What a blessing it was, all over a few jars of pickles.

I remember one time going over to prepare her home for a big dinner her husbands office was having at their home and it was so fun. We cleaned and made home made ice cream. Set the table all nicely. It was so fun. We ended up not having one fork to complete the setting so we put out the serving fork for her husband. I don't think he used it, but still to this day when I think of that and him eating with that huge fork I laugh out loud...so funny.

Anyway, there are so many friends that come into your life. It is so neat when you get one that really makes a big difference. She and her husband really changed our lives in ways they could never possibly know. We know it and are so grateful for their friendliness and for a great pickle recipe. Who knows where we'd be without it!