One is silver and the other is gold.
Do you remember that song from Brownies or Girl Scouts?
I just had a horrible flashback of me…in a green jumper…with a sash full of badges…shudder!
I just have to say that I like getting older.
Not the crows feet and dimples on my thighs….the sweet contentment and confidence that has come with age.
I love that the women in my life right now…today…are in my life because I love and adore them!
I don't have time for anything else!
Some of them are on the other side of this country.
Some are in my town.
Some I talk to only a few times a year and we both know how much we mean to each other.
Some I just have to think of them and smile.
Some have made my life so full of joy and laughter!
Some have brought tears.
I love that some of my friends are so talented and creative and there is not one bit of jealousy of their gift….I am so thankful that we all have different strengths.
I love that today I spent an hour talking to one of these friends and when I hung up I had the biggest smile on my face. She is genuine and real. She makes me laugh. She is beyond talented and she is my friend.
I love that tonight I met a new friend for coffee. We talked until the coffee shop closed down.
I have had friendships last years and months.
I have had amazing friendships and others that were not.
The one thing I know is that every friend that I have been blessed to know has made me a better person in some way.
Maybe not fun at the time…but I have always come out on the other side a wiser person.
So…to Laura who became my blood sister is third grade…that is now a little gross.
To April, Nikki, Jenny, Nicci and Trista…the 80s were not good for hair…we may be the reason that the ozone has holes.
To Janelle….thank you for taking me under your wing when I came back to Mt. Morris my senior year. A transition that could have been so uncomfortable was so amazing.
To Heather…thank you for all the times we listened to "Brown Eyed Girl" on our drive to Florida and eating all those graham crackers with frosting.
To Nikki….thank you for knowing the beginning and middle….I hope you will still know the ending.
To Kimberly….thank you for all the BAD things we have done together. Those have been some of the most fun times of my life! I know that you would never judge me. I love you for that.
To Katy…thank you for all the walks with our baby boys. My time with you will ALWAYS be one of the most precious in my life.
To Amy Jo…thank you for rejoicing in the birth of my little boy while you were still grieving the loss of your own little one.
To all of the amazing women I have met since starting my business….WOW…you are the most incredible, encouraging and creative women I have ever met!
To Melanie…I hope we can meet for coffee again real soon…I hope we become true friends!
okay, first of all LOVE that pic! 2nd of all I can’t believe Oscar didn’t get a mention here. I mean you guys are REALLY close! 3rd. I’ve never met a girl who treasures her friends more! You’re a wonderful friend! luva, luva, luva you!
Love it, so true! No matter what friends come and go in my life, they are still my friends, I try never to end things w/ anyone on a bad note. Friendships ebb and flow…but I agree, each one brings us something different, something we can learn from, both good and bad. This weekend I will be getting together with about 8 friends from high school(graduated 25 year ago, yikes!!). Many I haven’t seen in quite a while…while I’m a little intimidated, I know it will be good times. It’s so fun to reconnect with people now that we are grown up and wiser!
You will have true friends because you are a true friend and I’m so blessed that you’re one of mine! xoxo
It is official… You are so …cool! Is cool “cool” to say? Or is that totally 80’s?
Everything you wrote is so heart-felt and honest. You always have a way of making me laugh, cry and think all at the same time. When you mentioned the hair.. I thought of my friend Kelly..she “did” my hair for my senior pictures and we went through a whole can of Aussie. I actually had a brick wall on top of my head! When you mentioned your dear friend that celebrated the birth of your son, I though of my friend, Christy.. and how we were so excited to be pregnant at the same time only to lose our babies within weeks of each other. Friendships are one of God’s greatest treasures…I am so grateful for each and every one.
Thank you for sharing your friendship with all of us. Thank you for being YOU!
xo,
Melanie
Oh Jeanne ~ what a wonderful post. I truly cherish the girlfriends in my life ~ some since Grade 1. Like you I want to surround myself with people that matter ~ I really do not have time for a one sided friendship. The women in my life I do not take for granted as they are sisters send from God. Hope you have a wonderful week-end!!
Beautiful picture…beautiful writing!!!
what a beautiful, heartfelt post. as i grown older and wiser, my friends have become so much more important to me – old and new, near and far. i am very lucky!!
That is a wonderfully written post. I loved it and I felt it!
You are so precious!! I love your heart and I love how you cherish the dear people in your life. Beautifully written!
I love your post and the song — I still have some of my friends from first grade (over 50 years ago) and treasure the time we spent together in Brownie and Girl Scouts. (I wish I had that sash of badges; may want to think about the badges I might have earned as a member of “Adult Women of America” — “Exploring the Habitat of a Teenager”, “Balancing Work, School and Family”, “Blending Families and Making Everybody Feel Loved,” — of course, Girl Scouts helped prepare for the life I would lead later.
About friendships — what you have said is beautiful and so true. What I love best is that it is a love letter to the friends closest to you. I will do the same as an exercise in counting my blessings and as an incentive for increasing the number of new friends. Thank you!
There is absolutely nothing like friendship. I’d be lost without mine. Great post Jeanne…so glad I can count you among my special peeps. Love ya girl.
I find myself thinking these thoughts so much lately. You’re right about true friendships being absent of jealousy. I think that’s a hard one for so many girls and it’s just so draining. A friendship cannot thrive in the midst of jealousy and comparing. I’m thankful for the gals in my life who love me just the weirdo way that I am. So glad God made me a girl! 🙂
PS – I hope you saved your sash and those gorgey graphic badges. It begs to be framed or displayed or something!
You sound very blessed my friend..I agree..each friend is a treasure. xox
jeanne you are an amazing person, and I am so lucky to get to know you better every day.
See you soon!
xoxo, Tiffany
So sweet…it’s wonderful that you honor your friendships the way you do. My husband completes a part of me, but my friends complete the rest. I too would not be the same without them.
Happy weekend to you and yours,
Mikal
That was really sweet and beautiful.
-FringeGirl
I knew I liked you when our paths crossed in that dang bird class at Silver Bella. But frosting on graham crackers? Now I TRUST you…
I love your post. I love that friends leave heartprints in our lives…no matter the length of those friendships!
such a sweet post!
makes me wish i could give you a big hug! we need another late night phone call. 🙂
You are such a gift to all your friends… purely authenic and that is the very best kind of friend.
xo,
LuLu
Jeanne you have a beautiful heart! I always walk away from your blog with a smile on my face! I read the first line and started singing that song… then laughed when you continued quoting it! =) I could write a post exactly like this one… each friendship from the beginning of life to now have been treasured in a different way… but all have one thing in common… (laughter) he he… blessed am I to find friends who laugh with me!! I cherish friends… from grade school through til now… God granted me friendships with so many amazing people… even the rough ones… they grew me! hm… love this post! makes me want to make write …. I feel inspired! I would love love to have coffee with you one day!! I hope one day I do! You are beautiful Jeanne!
Jenn~
What a great post. Friends really do make us nicer and wiser, some are good and some are not. Through all kinds of life experiences you will be able to tell who your true friends are. It definitely sounds like you would be the kind of friend to be there through it all. Thanks for making me think, smile and cry all at the same time 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend.
Good friends are everything!!!! They are the family we choose 🙂
wierd … my comment disapeared… I loved visiting… I am in awe of the friendships I am blessed with …now I can include yours… a deep treasure, and real girl… priceless. muahhh!
Friends are such a sweet blessing. Beautiful post Jeanne.
that’s so sweet Jeanne…….for you to think of your friends like that, AND to have so many, you ARE truly blessed for them, but I think they are blessed by YOU. I know, keep yourself humble now, but you sure sound like a ton of fun, a shoulder to cry on, a kind ear to listen, and a heart every beating for the love of God and those around you….and everything else combined with who you are; lovely
cheers! with my cup of earl gray; cheers!
What a wonderful post. It made me reflect on all the dear friends that I have in my life as well as all the new friends that are still to come. Thanks!
xxx, Michelle
What a beautiful post! I feel exactly the same way about all the friends that have come in and out of my life! Happy Sunday to you! 🙂
Friendship…what a blessing! And I bet all your friends would say that you are an amazing friend:)
I do remember, brownies!! that is funny.
hey, have I mentioned how much I love your playlist………there are many days, I just open your blog so I can hear your choices of music while I am working…… thanks!!!
you are blessed! 🙂 Green girl scout sash and all! 🙂
How sweet Jeanne! I’m sure all of these women feel just as blessed that they have YOU to call a friend!!
Hugs ~
🙂 T
Will you have any of the ruffled totes with the white/cream flower in your shop this Spring?
Finding true and good friendship is hard, so if you do have one. treasure it for a lifetime.
Love you tons and so happy to have you in my life!
I love reading your posts and love that we are both serving the Lord..that our dreams are similar (I’m still wanting my farm, animals (including alpacas), chickens..and love being surrounded by these amazing children that I am blessed to be mama to. Glad we survived the Vitamin C overdose..mmm they were tasty weren’t they?? LOL…
Glad that through all the years apart..God has brought us together again!!
HUGS
Laura
You are my friend that makes me smile just thinking of you. I too love the Florida trips with icing and graham crackers!! I love you “green bean” and I love your blog!!
so sweet 🙂 now i need to go write some notes to my dearest girls…