Because

I am not one of those women that other women want to just hang out with. I rarely get a phone call inviting me on a shopping trip, or a girl's night. And to be honest, I can get pretty wrapped up in self pity about it when I let myself. Oh, it's not as if I don't have friends, I'm just not one of those girl-friendy type women, I guess. But this post is dedicated to the women I do spend time with, a group that outside of the dance studio, our paths might never have crossed. So here goes...in no particular order:

First H and T who worked until 5pm, gathered up their daughters, drove two hours to visit us in the hospital, drove home at midnight, and got up to go to work the next morning. You did this for my daughter and my family. You will never know how big the place you hold in my heart is. You will never know what this meant to me.

Then there is C. A mom who not only homeschools her kids, runs her household, manages to get to all extra activities, including playdays til 2:00 a.m., raises her kids in God's love, but also, I have honestly never heard her say the word NO when asked to volunteer, assist or just plain help out.

I have to mention the Mom who has become a ministry in herself after losing a child. Her faith and strength are encouragement to all of us. And S who has six kids and is taking chemo, yet found the energy and the time to sit with us during and after a friends funeral to cry and laugh along with us. And the B's, both the Pretty B and the Smart B, or the Pretty AND Smart B, depending on who you ask! B who will drive 20 miles out of her way to take the girls to a movie to just let them get out for awhile, or to simply check on her friend.

And the other B. The friend who literally moved in with G when G needed her most. She literally put her life on hold and did what she was needed to do, even to the point where she was so exhausted that when she finally went home, two days later, she pulled up in her drive, removed her bags, walked up the sidewalk, onto the porch and had her keys out to unlock her door, all before she realized...she was at her neighbors house.

See...I can get all wrapped up in my own self doubts, but these are the people God has put into my life. These are the people, whose friendship I might sometimes take for granted, but I know that if I needed them, they'd be there. Why? Because that is just who they are.