Sister Wife

note: We have lost our camera so the next few posts may be picture less but I will try to update the picture part when I can.



Carrie and I have been best friends since the 9th grade. Every time we are together it is as though we are teenagers again and are having a sleepover. Our husbands have always kidded that the other is his Sister -wife. She was over one day when we had a repair man come to our house and Brad introduced us as his two wives. Speaking of, we have both sworn that when our husbands die we will move in together. Also, on more than one occasion our husbands have accused us of forgetting to tell them something because we had told it instead to each other. We always deny deny deny!

When we are together there is never a shortage of drama(there is now five children between us), incessant talking and a lot of laughter. We celebrated yet another milestone event with the birth of her third baby, Lillian Hope. She has a lot of pictures of her beautiful baby here.
I got the privilege of staying her second night in the hospital with her. I came prepared with Donut Den doughnuts and two batches of iced sugar cookies (her favorites) and plenty of snacks and about 75 things that I could not wait to talk to her about that would make any man run screaming! We had the best time. It was just the two of us and sweet baby Lillie that never made a peep. (She was probably comforted to hear us talk since we do squeeze in a few minutes to talk on the phone every now and again *wink wink*.)
Then a few weeks later she was hit hard by life, her dad (who also calls me his fourth daughter -since I have been to countless family birthdays, dinners and even a few "Come to Jesus" meetings) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I was distraught, scared, and so sad. Of course all I could do was think of one thousand questions, "How is she going to walk this road with a brand new baby, how will she mother her children through this(especially when her very bright 5 year old just watched her Great - Aunt pass away very quickly from cancer)? As the oldest daughter, how would she also be a comfort for her sister like I know she would expect of her self? How will she do being in Atlanta and her dad and the rest of her family in Franklin?
It has been a few weeks since her dad's diagnosis and the answer to all of these questions is WITH GRACE. This is her way. She has surprised me more times than I can count. "Of course, this will be the time that she completely falls apart." I said to myself. Not even close. I have always admired her strength and determination . In so many ways she and I are opposites. I am forever envious of her multitude of amazing abilities. We often and laughingly say that we share a brain (however with momnesia I think it is shrinking). Basically everything that is very hard for me has always been so natural for her... school, quick wit (she is not the one that says "oh I should have said...), self-discipline, and wisdom (I am going to stop there- I am getting depressed - oh yeah and grammar-she edits as ONE of her part-time jobs- who is good with grammar??) So many people crumble under pressure yet she seems become more alive in the face of it! Nothing inspires me more. I am such a softy in comparison and that is not a usual feeling for me especially these days.
We have been friends for over twenty years and I have yet to meet anyone that I would have rather spent these years with and I know that I never will!

The bottom line is that I am forever grateful that she is my best friend. I love you Carrie!