You've Got A Friend In Me

This is one of Jaxon's favorite songs from the Toy Story movies.

You've got a friend in me.

You've got a friend in me.

When the road looks rough ahead

and you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed

Just remember what your old pal said

Oh you've got a friend in me.

This past weekend (and last few weeks, honestly) I've been reflecting on my good friend, Brandi Wilson. I was wondering if I should blog about it or just send her a letter, but I decided that someday when my kids are older (or maybe when I have grandkids), they'll ask me about my friends and I'll have my blog book (the one I hope to print) to show them and to remember all of these little things.

Even yesterday, I was sitting in my office crying like a baby to Kelly telling her how amazing my friend is. Talking about how blessed that I am that I have found a friend like her in my lifetime. You know, the ones who just know you . . . and I mean KNOW YOU. There are so many things that I love about Brandi. I'm going to try to go old-school and come up with a list of 100 things I love about Brandi (or stories about us). So, here it goes:

1. I love how I feel like I can just sit in a room with Brandi and she knows what I'm thinking.

2. I love how we've joked about being married to each other's husband. We have laughed about how if Randy & I were married, we would always be remodeling or changing something. If her and Aaron were married, they would never do any of that stuff!

3. I love that her family came to church this past Sunday because they thought it was my last Sunday as the children's pastor. And, they came to cheer us (KLF) on. I almost started crying when I saw them walking up the sidewalk.

4. I love that as I'm crying to Kelly telling her what an amazing friend that Brandi is, I get a text -- from Brandi -- telling me that she knows I'll have an emotional week and she'll be here for me. :)

5. I love it that Brandi tells me that even when she's facing the hardest time of her life. Selfish is never a word used to describe her.

6. I love that sometimes I know the inside scoop to things that nobody else knows. Sometimes that's good things and sometimes that's bad things.

7. I love that I met her 9 years ago and when she asked me if I scrapbooked, I knew I had a found a friend in this new place!

8. I love Wednesdays with Brandi!! We started a few years ago having coffee at Brandi's house and we've moved it to Wednesday afternoons at Chick-Fil-A. It seems like every time we meet, one of us has something we need to talk about. But sometimes we have just random things to talk about.

9. One of my favorite coffee times was the day of (or after) picture day. Oh the stories!! Fighting over hair. Fighting over clothes. Oh the funny stories!! :)

10. My birthday buddy!! We were born 3 days apart and I LOVE IT! I love having someone that loves birthdays and presents as much as me (and we aren't ashamed of it)!! :)

11. She is the prefect gift giver!! Like my Cake Pops book or my Wonder Woman cups. Or . . . gosh! There's been so many and so many perfect ones!! Oh! Like my container of Chick-Fil-A mints to take to Cambodia because they are my favorite "candy".

12. Or like my 30th birthday. I wanted to go to NYC for my birthday, but I was 30 weeks pregnant with Jaxon and I was strongly advised against going. But, she threw me the bestest birthday party ever!! She painted a giant mural and we each had our own stores. We had special dancers (still makes me turn red) and it was so much fun!!!

13. I remember sitting at her kitchen table and pulling a pregnancy test out of my purse after I found out I was pregnant with Jaxon. :)

14. I loved all of our scrapbooking nights at various scrapbook stores.

15. I love that we've been able to stay friends over the last 9 years through changes.

16. I remember her little house on Burger Street and how amazed I was that she had 5 kids in that little house!

17. And how excited I was when she got her house on Poplar Street. It was perfect!!

18. I remember how she didn't want to have Miles at home, but they wanted Randy to deliver him. And how it really happened that way.

19. I remember our first BFW. Enough said about that one. :)

20. I remember sharing November 15th with Brandi -- the birthday of the boy I put of for adoption. She's probably didn't remember the date, but when I needed to talk about it, she always listened.

21. Oh how I remember mommy group! Brandi was always there!! In the beginning, she was my safe place. I would go just knowing that she would be there and if nothing else, I could talk with her.

22. As I'm trying to go down memory lane, I remember times where she's just listened to me complain. . . about lots of things. Never once has she said, "Just shut up and stop complaining!" even when she probably should have! :)

23. Cornerstone. We probably wouldn't have gone without her!

24. Watching her be the most amazing mom that I know. Her relationship with her kids is something that every parent longs for! I am almost jealous of this one.

25. I almost forgot! Our WOW Christmas Party table decorating contests! We are the reigning champions and I believe we have been the ONLY winners! The first year, we made everything out of paper. Even the plates had paper underneath! The second year, we decided to try to win back to back and came up with the Feliz Navidad idea in the parking lot of the school! We won up against tables that were really decked out and fancy!! But, we were original! :)

OK, so I only have 25 at the current moment in time, but I know more will come to me. I have 3 kids sitting here telling me that they're hungry, so I guess I better go feed them. :) Don't worry! I'll be adding more!

I love you, Brandi!!!