Angels

Yeah, I believe in them. I'm surrounded by them right here in this amazing life I am living. This past week I have had a lot of opportunity to be reminded of it. It started last Saturday at Erika's wedding. One of my dear sweet roommates got married and my heart really was overflowing with joy for her. I have never seen Erika look more beautiful and it's because of the joy she was feeling in beginning her very own eternal family. It's a beautiful journey and she was prepared for it! I had a lot of opportunity to think about the experiences we have shared and what a blessing she has been to me and I was really overwhelmed by it. At the luncheon everyone was asked to introduce themselves and most people shared a little story about Erika or Mike after they introduced themselves. By the time it got to me I was so close to tears, thinking about all Erika has done for me and hearing the wonderful stories others told about her and about her husband, that all I said was "Erika & Lori were my roommates and we had a lot of fun together." Ugh! That doesn't even begin to explain this connection I have with them!! I know Erika and I know Erika knows me so I feel peace knowing that she knows what I really meant, but at the same time I realized I haven't really expressed to her all that she has done for me. I find that I am less likely to tell people I am extremely close to, like family and people that are like my family, how much they have done for me. I usually assume they know and I don't know that that is the best attitude to approach things like that with. Erika has taught me so much. She has been a huge strength to me in some really really difficult times and I ALWAYS knew I could count on her. I still know I can. The last few years we haven't talked as often but I don't feel like that has changed a single thing. She's still like a sister to me and I hold that very close to my heart. Erika stayed up late into the night with me when I had a very high fever and put a new cold/wet washcloth on my forehead what seemed like every 5 minutes. When you are far from home and so sick and so scared, having people in your life that are willing to do such silly little things for you is such a blessing. That is just one example but is one that shows, in a nutshell, the kind of person Erika is. Thank you for being my friend Erika and for lifting me up, teaching me and helping me to become a better person!

This week I also had the opportunity to spend time with a few of the other girls from my life at Raintree. Those girls are always going to be in my life. I know that for a fact. They truly are like sisters to me and bring me such peace and such joy when I am with them or talking to them. Rach is moving away and so we had one last get together before she left and it was exactly what I needed. We have such an incredible connection and I'm always blown away at the fact that no matter how much changes we can come together and lift each other up and leave feeling stronger. That's how I felt on Wednesday after talking with those wonderful girls for a few hours. We were sad that Lori and Erika couldn't be there but they were there in our hearts for sure. To you beautiful girls, thank you for teaching me, loving me and helping me in my journey to figure out who "Beth" is.

I'm going to miss Rach so much. I always love being with her and knowing I can be completely me with her. Thank goodness for Facebook ;) Oh, and phones too. And airplanes.

Rach took me to a wonderfully peaceful & beautiful place that she likes to go to when she wants to think or just be away from the world and I look forward to using that place as a new place of refuge. Rach understands my heart and understands the need to get away. She gets me and I'm so blessed to have a "soul sister" like her. So my wonderful friends, I love you! Thank you for being in my life, I know these are friendships that will never fade.

This post is probably a little cheesy to most of you but, it's something that has been on my mind a lot this week and I feel it's important to put into print. I'm truly blessed and what good are such blessings if we don't show gratitude for them?