Along the way.

2009 is officially here. No, really, it is. . .
The past weeks have been filled with family, traveling, more family and friends.

I want to say that at Christmas, every hug of my 88 year old grandmother meant a little more, so I held on a little longer. I helped both Brittany AND Logan (cousins)cheat at Scrabble. . . against each other! I held my Mother's hand and patted my Daddy's belly. I've finally managed to look at my family and realize how blessed we are to have one another. Yes, I think I must have known this time was coming but I never knew how it would capture and embrace my heart and soul so strongly. Thirty-five years was far too long to wait for all this.

The New Year has always been a favorite of mine. I'm always filled with some hope, speculation and ambition to make the next 365 days better than the last and I cannot help but sit and reflect over the past. There's nothing quite like your friends to remind you of your prior year. . . whether you want to hear about it or not!

Friendships are ever changing over the years. Some grow stronger while others fall into the quiet corners of photo albums, blogs and memories.
I've learned more about friendships this year than in all of my prior thirty four years combined. Tonight proved no different.
Friendships are relationships; no different than those with a parent or a spouse. Why is it that we assume friendships will be easy and always perfect just because they are "friend"ships?

Tonight a group of friends came together. We learned things, we realized we had grown and our stories found common ground.
Our friendships were bigger than a story, bigger than outside influences and were stronger than we'd known.

I am always amazed when I see just one side and how I feel when I finally see the other side.
I am shocked at those who let people they claim to love go, so easily.
I have always said that I am blessed with the best friends.
We are all in a relationship with one another. My friends are part of my life and my heart, as much as my family. Sometimes you defend them, fight for them, nourish them, love them, hate them, grow with them or watch them grow on their own; forgive them, and sometimes you just have to sit and wait for them to find their way back.

When we take a moment and look down that long path, there are some who are always there along the way.
But then, there are those who somehow make it to the end of that path before you, just to meet you there.
Happy New Year, my friends!