Tow Trucks

Well . . . the weekend was full! There was bike riding and basketball . . . cheers and ice cream . . . I think the girls changed clothes 126 times each. And what I may have loved most was that when it was time for Mags to go home, after 48 hours, they acted like they hadn't had enough time together.

Friends. What precious gifts they are. Maggie and Caroline have been friends since they were 0 and 1. . . they have gone through every stage together. They have fought with each other and for each other. And at the end of the day, they'd like another hour together.

My Granny had a very, very best friend. They were like one person . . . they hurt with each other, they laughed with each other, they cried with each other, they knew each others' secrets and fears and dreams. Mrs. Ab and Gran were quite the pair. They schemed and pranked and cooked and raised their kids together. You knew trouble wasn't far behind if you ever saw their shoulders shaking in laughter. They solved the world's problems in Granny's Honda while drinking their Senior Citizen cokes in the Wal-Mart parking lot. But I think what made their friendship so unbreakable was that through it all they knew they had each other's back and that their own back was covered. They had a code when something was wrong and they needed the other one . . . they would call and say, "The ox is in the ditch." And that was all that needed to be said. Whoever called knew that she wasn't alone in her situation anymore. There wasn't a question or a doubt about whether Granny or Abilene would drop everything to help.

God knows me well. He knows that I need some tow truck friends when my oxes get in ditches. It's a phrase I use with my mom and it's a reliability I know I have with my close circle. Recently, I have felt so blessed when I am with my friends. I look around at them and think, "Really?! THEY LIKE ME?! ME?!" I am so thankful to God and to these special girls. It is such a privilege to rally around them when they need it. There is such honor and intimacy when you know people's junk as well as their good stuff. And there is such peace to know there are those out there who will guard your secrets with their life or bring you a meal when life is hard or call you because they were thinking about you or ask the real questions when you talk. (Of course we have to intersperse who we think Brad will pick on the Bachelor and our favorite spring trends . . . we are still girls!!)

So to my tow trucks . . . thanks! I treasure you all and I love being allowed to pull your oxes out too! We weren't meant to do this life alone and I am so thankful I get to do it with y'all!