Yesterday, I wrote about a post about love is… and there are several people that I missed…. and others I’d like to expound upon… When you go through something like this, you realize how important family & friends are…. I’ve been so blessed to have people in the wedding industry come to my aid and many of them have more flexibility…. some of my best friends in the world feel horrible because they live miles away… or they work full time and can’t be there for me like others can…. and I know that it hurts them that they can’t be there for me… Today I honestly don’t care if anyone else reads this… but the very important people I’m going to mention in this blog post….

First, I’d like to talk about my best friend… Tracey. She and I have known each other since I was 16 and she was 17… Our lives were eerily similar and have remained eerily similar throughout our friendship… It’s one of those friendships that you can not talk for weeks or months… but you can come together and it’s as if nothing has changed…. We live hundreds of miles apart, she lives in Nashville…. and we rarely get to see each other… But, when we do… it’s like we’re back to our teenage years… in that paddle boat where it all began, talking for hours…. Years ago, we used to spend hours on the phone just about every day…. Now, we’re lucky if we get 20 minutes every week…. But, it’s true love… a friendship that will be forever… I know you can’t be here in ways you wished you could… but you always come when it matters most… and I love you so much!!!

Next, I’d love to talk about my closest friend here in Charlotte… Tess. I call her my NC bestie… We both know each other has besties… and that’s ok… Our friendship is different and special, in it’s own unique way. Tess showed up on my door step 6 years ago… her son and my son had become friends… and they invited us over to their house. And we’ve been friends ever since…. Tess & Lou are the friends whenever we have a chance… we’re getting together, grilling, going out to eat…. whatever we can. Any special occasions… Tess said it best… we’re not friends, we’ve become family. When I was newly diagnosed, Tess was calling me every single morning to just chat… to come down to just give me a hug… and I completely overlooked her yesterday in my Love Is…. and I feel horrible about that… because she is truly one of those people in my life… that means so much to me… I love you so very much Tess & Lou…. and Nichole and Devin…. you all are truly family to our family…. And our life’s events would not be the same without you all…. Throughout the past years… we’ve all been so busy, we haven’t has as much time to do things like we’d like to… but I’m positive all of that will change… and this next year is going to be amazing for us all!

Honestly, I’ve kept my friends very near and dear…. I don’t let a lot of people in, but when I do… it’s extremely close and literally we can talk about anything. And, I mean anything…. and those bonds are kept so close… I’ve been blessed to have these friends in my life…. and throughout this process… and make new ones…. and I can say that I’ve got a few more friends that I can add to that “close friends” list…. and for that, I’m forever grateful….

The next friend in my life I’d like to talk about is my Mom… Not many people are honored to consider their mothers a best friend…. but I am. My Mom and I are VERY close… and over these past years while we’ve been so busy, I’ve neglected all of these relationships…. including the relationship with my Mom… even though, she’s been nothing short of everything to our family…. She’s watched Greyson for nearly every single wedding we’ve photographed… and she’s picked him up daily…. and taken Greyson to her house so that I could work…. She never asks or expects a thing, she only gives and gives and gives….. I pray that I become half of the amazing woman she is…. she doesn’t get any credit for what type of person she is…. Truly, she is selfless, honest, trustworthy, funny… amazing. The day I lose her will be a day that I become forever changed…. and I dread that day…. Fortunately, my family tends to have longevity and I pray that day is many, many years away….. I became best friends with my Mom at a time when most kids stray from their parents…. I was about 14 when my Mom and I clung to each other…. and we did everything together… whenever possible…. When my first boys were born… she was no different to them… an AMAZING Grandmother… really a second mother to all of my children…. They are so blessed to have her…. We are all so amazingly fortunate to have my Mom in our lives…. Mom, you are a saint…. truly a saint…. I love you with everything I am….

The next person I’d like to talk about for a minute is my Dad…. I was my Dad’s little girl…. my fondest memories are of my childhood and hanging out with my parents, since I was the last child at home… I went almost everywhere with my parents…. My Dad has always been extremely proud of me in an unspoken way…. I just knew.  My childhood memories are of family and friends, sing a longs… visits with other family and friends…. I love my Daddy so much…. and although he’s a very tough, strong man…. I know that this is hurting him to watch me go through this…. I know it bothers him and I know he is the type of man who fixes…. and wants to protect and provide…. and he is helpless. And it’s scary…. Again, all of this is unspoken…. I just know. I know him. As a child…. my Dad used to put me on his knee…. and sing me this song…. “A tiny turned up nose… two cheeks, just like a rose…. 2 eyes that always glow… That little girl of mine….. She means the world to me….. She climbs upon my knee…. Yes, she will always be…. That little girl of mine”….  Yes, I will…. I love you Daddy…

I could go on and on…. I need to focus on my sons… I need to focus on so many more people….. that mean so much to me…but, I don’t want to bore…. and it seems someone is always left out….. but I will stop here for today…. I’ve cried enough tears….

I am so amazingly loved by so many people…. and I am so grateful for you all who are “loving me through this”…..