To Be Thought Of

Friendships are a gift. They are also a risk. If you do it right, you give your heart and soul to some one's trust. But to do it completely can give you such a beautiful chance in life, that I don't think is worth missing. I have been blessed with a few crossed paths of very special friends. Some that we connected so much and my life was enriched and grew...well I take that back...all of them my life grew from and lessons were learned. Some of these ended and about broke my heart in the process, but new journeys were ahead for me with new wonderful adventures ahead. Each of these friends had wonderful times and love and a bond I felt with them.

Never had I had the unique relationship that I have with my friend Lacey. The way we met in itself is absurd. We met through reading each other's blogs and I admired her writings. On the surface, we were very different. I am older, she is younger. I am a housewife with children, she is not married, living in a committed relationship with her boyfriend. I live in Ohio, she lives in Arizona. To think that a comment on a blog post would lead to everyday talking, and several trips each year to each other's homes, and the way our lives have become embedded is crazy. But when you do scratch the surface, Lacey and I are really verymuchalike and mesh very well together. She gets me. I get her. Do you know how nice that is to have someone in the world...GET you??

So this Christmas, even I was floored when I opened my presents from her. She had given me 12 gifts...the 12 days of Christmas...sent in early December, but made to wait until Christmas Eve. On the phone, late that night I opened my presents with her, one by one.

Never. Have I felt so loved.

To have someone to have THOUGHT about ME so much.

ME.

Entirely just ME.

By gift 3 I was a mess.

It touched my heart.

She chose things that meant something, each time. 12 times. Each with a handwritten note. From making up my own jar of the special seasoning they used on steak the last time I came to Arizona and we grilled out, to the finale of special cake pans for my fondant cakes. It was the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten.

I feel beyond blessed to have been given the chance to have a friend like this. Thank you Lacey. Bring on the Fonduuuuuuuuu!