Can I Have More Than ONE Best Friend?

 “Can I have more than ONE best friend?”

asked my 5-year-old as I put her to bed.

Oh I was excited for this question.

Since she was born, Emma Kate has been her best friend.

She knows it.  Emma Kate knows it. Everyone knows it.

The UPS man knows it. It’s just fact.

The truth is, she has  A LOT of really special friends.

We were coming off of a day when she had a lot of fun with Maddox and Anna.

I could SO relate, so I KNEW what was going on in that little heart.

I imagined she was thinking…

I LOVE my best friend and she IS my best friend, but these people are special too!

And I want to say that and tell them that. Is that bad?

So, I proceeded to tell her YES! YES! YES!

You can have many best friends!

I told her how Mommy has had her best friend Erin since she was 5 years old.

We live in two towns and love each other soooo much.

I told her how Katie was my best friend (EK’s mom) and she giggled like, duh!

We see her like every day! That’s fun too!

And, I have my Auburn friends – you will make the BEST friends when you go to college, Ella!

Then, I have my high school friends and church friends and those in this neighborhood.

SO MANY special friends Ella.

And, not to mention DADDY and AUNT KERRI and MEESE!

Those have become my very best friends!

She smiled so big.

So, who’s your best friend?

She sweetly grinned and listed off about 4 special friends and why – and her SISTER!

Shocking! Teary mama!

Her face was just relieved that she hadn’t betrayed her one true love and that she could have room for more.

Friendship is an amazing thing and is such a TANGIBLE way our kids see and feel LOVE from an early age.

Friendship is also FULL of lessons.

Some HARD and some not so hard.

Lessons of sharing, kindness, bitterness, forgiveness,

grace, caring, tenderness and more.

 

I want her to be a friend that loves at all times. No matter what the score or how the person has treated them.

I want Ella DeFeo to be the friend that:

can ALWAYS be counted on

encourages instead of judges

makes you feel at home and safe in your own skin

makes you laugh and be silly

believes in you and gives you courage

lets you go first

notices when you are down

offers to help

and much much more

 

Which reminds me of some peple I know like that…

I went to a farewell dinner tonight wih some of my very best friends in the world:

MY AUBURN CREW

(well, the Atlanta portion… typically 12 strong)

We’ve been through a lot together. They’ve seen me at my very worst and my best.

They are ones that can give you some serious dirt on Courtney DeFeo.

They knew me when I prayed to potties vs Jesus after nights of bad decisions.

They make me laugh harder than any humans on the planet.

They taught me about loyalty and the bond of friendship.

That you spare no expense to support each other.

I will know these women until I die and I can’t imagine how had we’ll laugh in our assisted living homes together.

The tales of our Auburn days will just get more exaggerated and more legendary with age.

Tonight reminded me of Ella’s same question in her heart.

Can I have more than one best friend?

Yes, it is more than OK.

It’s OK I’ve met new friends since Auburn and we’ve all grown and changed with each new season.

However, there is nothing that can take away the bond of our friendship and the memories we have shared.

Whether it’s tomorrow, next month or 10 years from now, I would drop anything to go help or support one of the Auburn crew.

And, I know the feeling is mutual.

A friend LOVES at all times!

That’s a lot from me about friendship, YOUR TURN!

HOW ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR KIDS TO LOVE AT ALL TIMES,

EVEN WHEN THEIR FRIENDS AREN’T SO SWEET?