Today is a great day to celebrate a great friend...one of my best friends in the whole wide world! In fact, I am confident that if we had known each other in elementary school, we would have shared one of those heart necklaces, where one friend gets the half that says "best" and the other gets the half that says "friend". We met in college and have had the privilege of many adventures together. Our first was a summer internship at a Children's Home in Chino, CA called Hillview Acres. It was here that I discovered Amy's deep rooted love and compassion for children in need, something that I both respect and dearly love in her. We discovered our shared love for Jesus, shopping, traveling, movies, laughing, the beach, and just being together!
Some of our many adventures together that summer included a weekend in Las Vegas...
and a trip to the Price is Right...
Then we headed back to John Brown for our senior year, and Amy and I were inseparable for a semester. We packed a lot of memories into those 4 months!!
Then, Amy graduated a semester early, and I remember feeling so broken-hearted when she left that December. She moved back to Iowa, and I missed her so much! She came back in the spring to go with us for our senior Spring Break Road Trip to California, and I remember that we got in trouble for giggling too much in the back seat of the suburban and irritating the other passengers.
We tried to move to Denver together that next year after I graduated, but God had other plans and we didn't find jobs there. I moved to California and she stayed in Iowa, but we stayed in close contact. She met her husband in Oklahoma City, and I met mine in Cali. We were in each other's weddings and talked all the time about how we could never seem to find new friends that we could connect with like each other. Friends that you can be completely yourself with, do nothing with or do everything with. Friends that know your history, dumb things you did and love you so much anyway. Friends that you call and you just pick up the conversation like you just finished talking 5 minutes ago even if it has been a month. Friends that you lived in community with and figured out life with back in your early twenties. The same friend that, as you were turning 30 together, you figured out that you had no idea what life was really all about back when you were twenty!
We have shared tears together over life's apparent unfairness only to see and experience God's abundant provision and blessings around the corner. We have seen each other through moves and marriages and job changes and times of loneliness and times of joy.
What a blessing it is to share the gift of your children with a dear friend! This has been one of the sweetest joys I have shared with Amy. To see someone I love so much holding my kids and knowing that she would love them like her own...
And finally, to know the emotion and joy of the journey she has traveled to meet her son, Silas Tesfamariam from Ethiopia, has been indescribable! I am so proud of the way that she has, once again, given up her life to help a child that was in need. She is truly living out the words of Jesus, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me." Mark 9:37
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERS! I love that we live only 3 hours apart and still share our lives together after 10 years of friendship. I look forward to the next 10 years and all the adventures those years will hold! I love you and am so thankful for who God created you to be!
3 comments:
Courts! I don't even know what to write here. I am crying. You are so sweet to take the time to compile all these pictures (I will touch on those in a sec) and all these words and memories! You are such a precious friend to me! Your blog entry seriously MADE my first day of being a thirty-something! Thanks Thanks and more thanks to you!
Lets talk about the pictures now..
1st one...those glasses, whoa. I know I thought they were so cool and that I was so California back in 97.
2nd one...Elvis and us. Lets just say I don't want to go back to that time in my life necessarily. What was going on with the yellow-ish streak in my hair?
3rd one...You failed to mention that YOU were on the Price is Right!!! Courtney Horvath, come on down! Not only were you on the show, but you won some great prizes. :)
4th one..I love our matching lipstick...remember the one we used? I can't remember the name of it, but I remember we loved it.
5th one...the picture from the rugby game! I remember feeling a little uncomfortable with my bra strap showing....:) But, I love this picture of us!
6th one... Remember our little audience we had while talking these pictures? What was his name?? I can't remember! The poor kid on the bike who worked in the cafeteria...Alfred? No, I don't know.
7th one...Olivers van for fun. I know I felt so cool to be near Olivers van because I was so intimidated by him.
8th one.. California! Such GREAT memories! :) A really great memory with me, you, Sarah, and Cindy.
9th-12th pictures....The ugly yellow streaks are back in my picture with newborn Seth! I Love Seth Gordon and Caleb James!
13th-15th pictures...I must say, we look better than ever as I am now officially in my thirties. (you are not too far behind)
This was such a thoughtful and sweet post Courtney!! Really fun! Thanks so much! I love it and I love you!
ok, you officially made preggers here cry. what a sweet post, courts. very well written and a nice sum-up of the last 10 years. it was fun to see all of those pictures of you too. i recognize the Abercrombie wall behind you in that one shot...good ole 255A. i don't remember you guys being annoying on the cali trip - sorry if we made you feel that way! =( you two are the best. i'm so thankful to have all of you in my life! Happy Birthday Amers!
Okay. Not the recipient of your kind words. And not pregnant. And STILL you made me all misty-eyed and lumpy-throated.
Great post.
Kristy
(Friend of Sarah)
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