Day 90- You Got A Friend In Me

When it comes to friends, I'm pretty lucky. I've never been the type to have a ton of friends. I've had my fair acquaintances, but there is only a select few I call true friends. It has been through the support of my close group of friends that I have been able to get through the last few rough years. They are so supportive that when I asked them all today if it would be alright with them if I could post a picture of them here, they were all so excited. I asked them if it was OK first since the subject matter of this blog is a little more serious  than what people post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter most of the time . Even though I asked first, I knew deep down they would agree to it. I still am going to just use their initials instead of their full name though, just for some privacy. So, are you ready to meet my friends!?

Definitely my oldest friends are M & A. We kinda never really had a choice in the matter because our moms grew up together and have been friends since elementary school (They are still friends 40+ years later). M is only a year younger than me and A is 9 years younger than me. When people ask though, I don't call them my friends; instead I call them my cousins. They really are family to me. It really is disappointing that they both live in Montreal, Canada because we don't get to see each other that much. But every time we do it's like we had just seen each other the day before. I can't even tell you how many times in the last 2 years I have called and cried and vented to them. And they have always just listened and supported me. I don't know if I'll ever be able to pay them back for that, but I will definitely try. When I first got sick almost 2 years ago M and her fiancé wrote me a letter and in it they said that "Family isn't whose blood you have, it's whom you care about." Well they have and always will be family.

I am also very lucky to have 4 girlfriends who are my rocks. We really make an effort to try and get together at least once a week, but with all of us having different schedules it can sometimes go to every other week. Out of all the girls I have been friends with R the longest. We first met in second grade when we had the same teacher. After that we started going to each others birthday parties and having sleepovers. One of my favorite memories from when I was a kid was when a bunch of us slept over at R's house for her birthday and we were all playing with our hair and make up in her parents bathroom. In high school we had different classes and different groups of friends, but that didn't matter because we stayed friends. We eventually ended up studying the same thing at the same college and we graduated right next to each other. A few years ago R broke up with her boyfriend. Even though it was a really stressful time I wouldn't change it because we grew extremely close as a result. She is the one friend that I can go awhile without talking to and it's like no time has passed. She is also one of the only people that with just a look we know what the other is thinking. I'm very grateful to have her in my life.

     The next girl I have known the longest is N. She also went to the same elementary school, junior high, high school, and college as me but we never had classes together. It was during those times that I would have said we were more acquaintances than friends, but over the last 2 years we have become very close. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we are very similar in personality (maybe because we were born only 3 days apart). We both stress a lot, are clean freaks, and really value the relationships we have. She has sorta become my sound board these last few years. For whatever reason I feel most comfortable talking to her than all my other friends about the serious stuff. I think because she really does just listen with very little judgement and offers so much encouragement. I don't know how I would have survived these last few years without her. My hope is that we will be friends for a very long time because everyone needs a friend like her in their life.

    The other two girls that make up our circle of five are N and A. I have known N for about the last 3 years and A for the last 2 years. I met both of them through R because they all use to work together. I feel like without them we would all never hangout. They always seem to be the ones planning everything. N is always upbeat and has such a positive energy that it's very hard to be sad when you're around her. I know if I'm ever down I can just hangout with her and that will change. And A completes the circle. The thing I admire most about her is how she always says what's she thinking. You want an honest opinion, go to her. She is also super close with her family and I know she will do anything for anyone she truly cares about. I couldn't imagine my life right now without these two in it. 

The story about my next friend of mine is my mom's favorite to tell. D and I were friends before we even knew it. We were born at the same hospital, the same year, 3 days apart. We were both in the ICU when we were born because I had a lot of health issues and he was a premie. We had the same ICU nurse, which means that our incubators were literally right next to each other. After we left the hospital I went to live and grow up in Santa Clarita, he went to North Hollywood. After high school his family ended up moving to Santa Clarita, and he and I ended up working at the same clothing store. We were friends while we worked there together and would hangout outside of work. One of our old co-workers and friends had a baby and delivered at the same hospital both he and I were born at. It was then, 21 years later, when we were talking about where we were born that we figured out that we had been incubator buddies right after birth. I'm still amazed after all these years that we "found" each other and became friends 19 years later, and we didn't even know we had met all those years before. I'm so glad we did find each other though because he has been my biggest support system besides my family. Especially in the beginning. I think it would have been a lot worse if he hadn't been there, and for that I'm so grateful.

I also have to mention, my first friend ever when I was 3 years-old was my next door neighbor V. She and I are still friends, and probably will be for the rest of our lives because her parents live next door to my parents and both have said they are never moving. She is now a psychiatrist and who I have received a lot of help and information from. I didn't get a hold of her to ask about putting her picture up, but I still wanted to mention her. 

So, there you have it. Those are my friends who I love as much as I love my family. They have been amazing encouragers of mine and who I am so appreciative to have in my life. I will always feel indebted to them for all they have done for me lately. As a thank you, please enjoy the song below. It reminds me of all of you. Love you guys!

Day 90- Photo a Day Challenge- Best Friends (Note: I really need to take pictures with my friends soon because my hair hasn't been blonde for almost 2 years)