Leslie and Bea

look at this picture.

i know, right?

what in the world? with the red hair....

if you have followed my blog(s) at all or just know me from real life you know that most days i am part of a lady duo.

the freckle faced side kick to this stunning red head.

the ethel to her lucy...ha ha!

i have always wanted to have red hair.

ever since i first heard the story of anne of green gables read to me in my mom's lovely low voice, i wished.

so maybe i am more of the diana to her anne.

she is certainly as dramatic as anne was (wink wink).

and maybe i became content to just look at red hair all the time, instead of actually have it for myself.

it is just hard to describe my and leslie's friendship.

she, like the others, pursues friendship.

she, more than the others, pushes for it.

you know i wouldn't be sharing this unless i meant that in the best way possible.

she pushes me to be more open.

she finds hidden truths inside me and then accepts them for what they are when they are exposed.

our friendship isn't perfect (non are)

but that is part of the whole deal, she is so committed to me as a friend and so i can always assume onto her the best, but even when i don't and feel too pressed, she sees my bad reaction and accepts me anyway.

yah, it's really hard to explain.

our friendship is not made out of carpools and a love for shopping (although we do have that)

it's made up of understanding and acceptance.

Leslie is God's searching heart, and His understanding spirit, and His unconditional love, and His idealistic hopefulness in my life.

thank God for Leslie!

now, for my gal pal, bea....

see how happy we are?

yes, we are so happy when we are together.

it used to be that that was every day.

when our first borns were still nestled in our tummies, we would bustle from the mall to in-n-out with daily frequency.

and even when they were newborns we'd stress about them and primp and smother them, as most new mothers do...

those were the days.

strolling with our strollers, shushing our tiny bundles to sleep.

then they seemed so hard and overwhelming, now it seems ideal and lovely.

now she lives a ways away and we have more commitments that stand between us.

but when we do have time together, we are so grateful.

it is usually lady time during the school year, but then the summer comes and our kids run together in the waves and sand once again...

remembering their life long bond that started before they were born.

when jake was a newborn and i was a recently made motherless daughter, i would come and sit bea's kitchen and she would make me lunch and lemonade.

we would talk about everything and she would nurture my lonely heart.

the feeling that her home gave me in those early days of my loss can't be put to words.

bea is God's nurturing love, His kindness, His gentleness, His affection for me again and again.  it always returns to me.  

thank God for Bea!