I think Tanya and I became friends somewhere around 6th grade. There were four of us who always hung out and I remember a lot of car rides to Salina and Manhattan for birthday parties, sleep-overs, dances, cruising, etc. Later we were in sports together; volleyball, basketball, track. We were both really pretty decent in track and we ran sprints together and several relays. I have several scars from running relays with her and one particular "baton incident" still cracks us up.

After we graduated she went to Great Bend and I went to Huntsville. We would go months without hearing from each other but then those were the days before cell phones. (Wow.. I sound like my mother). We never completely lost touch like we have a tendency to to with childhood friends. I love that I get to see her for some really good quality time once a year. We both love to get glammed up and go out so we have kind of made New Year's Eve "our" special event. We spend months finding the perfect dress then we spend the entire next day recovering on the couch, often with an ice pack, wrapped up in blankets, and eating cheese. Ah, good times.

I've seen my friend a lot more this year but not for positive reasons. She was in town the whole week during my Dad's final hospital stay. She was constantly checking on me, offering to help with whatever she could, making sure I ate, offering to get me out of the house.. just whatever. I will never be able to effectively thank her for that and even if I tried she would just say, "Hey girl, that's what friends are for."

Now my sweet, generous, loving friend needs me for the same reason. Dad has been gone two months and it feels like yesterday. So many days I want to just crawl in a hole and hide. I can't and I won't do that to her. I pray that God will give me the strength and the courage to be whatever she needs right now. She deserves that and so much more because, "Hey, that's what friends are for."