THANKFUL THOUGHTS: I {HEART} MY FRIENDS

Last Week I talked about how thankful I am to have a LIFE FILLED WITH HOPE!

This week, my heart is SWOLLEN with love and thankfulness for my amazingly wonderful FRIENDS!

NOW, it goes without saying, that I AM OVERFLOWING with oodles and oodles of love for family members, and honestly, some of my CLOSEST friends ARE family!! So, I am certainly giving a HUGE shout out to all of the FAM! Mucho Love!!

BUT...

TODAAAAY, I wanted to focus on those who do not share a "blood bond" or something like that connecting them to me in some way!

I want to talk about my FRIENDS!

There are so many types of people that I adore surrounding me! When I was a kid in school, I was never apart of "clicks" or anything like that! I always felt like I could fit in somehow with every click or type of group.  It's kinda the same way now, as an adult! 

Do you know what I mean? Is that how it is with you?

I just wanna be buds with the whole world!!

I have some friends that I see ALL the time! Some of them are even more than friends...those who have chosen "Lil ole me" to spiritually mentor them on a weekly basis.  SERIOUSLY, that's a HUMONGOUS HONOR and I don't take it lightly!

Some of the girls from my weekly small group:) I love these chics!

There are some friends of mine that I have known for so long that I can't even remember how I met some of them! These are the ones that probably have all the "dirt" on me! 

NOT THE BEST PICTURE BUT THESE ARE SOME OLD SCHOOL BUDS!

Then there are those that I call my "Kindred Spirits"!

My girl, Kim! She makes me wanna exercise...I said WANT TO...not actually... DO IT! Wish I could see her more...

KELLE BELLE!!!!!!! Time with her fills my love tank!

Keeley and I go WAAAAY back! I miss her!

Technically, these are my adopted parents and sister in
law but it's impossible to not
 include these three people as kindred spirits
(but I get to see them all the time, LUCKY ME)

And I can't forget about my sisters (and brothers too)! These friends are the ones that you may not even have a whole lot of interests in common or even hang out with all the time, but you are teammates, gathered together for the same cause! Just like a team! Siblings in a "real" family are, most often than not, completely different, but there's a bond that ties them together!

Some of the TEAM! There's like 30 more!! 

This is MY "Trace"! She let's me annoy her and she STILL loves me anyway!

I love, love, love my brand new friends! .....the one's that just popped into my life and I wonder "Where in the heck have YOU been all my life!"

( Bummer, no pics of my new buddies)

I cannot forget about my new bloggy friends! Of course, I don't have any pictures with these new buds, but I am looking forward to the day that I will!

And I can't forget the Hubs!

HE IS THE BEST!

And then...

...there's a friend who sticks closer than a brother!  Jesus Christ! 

He's been the ULTIMATE friend to me! I can't see Him or take pictures with Him, but I have stories about how He has impacted my life!

I'm thinking one day I am going to have to share my "God story" with you!

SIDE NOTE: THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN INCLUDE PICTURES OF ALL THE AMAZING FRIENDS IN MY LIFE! These are only just a few....

So, In conclusion, I am so grateful for ALL of the amazing people that God has placed in my life. Through hurts, struggles, good times, and not-so-good times...

TRUE friends will be there,

THROUGH IT ALL!

And for this, I am thankful,