The Chapters of The Book

Today is this Beautiful Woman's Birthday!

She is my BFF!

Our Daddies were friends!

They worked in the oil field together.

They drank coffee together.

They tinkered on projects together.

They shared things together.

They were even sick together.

How could their daughters not be life long friends?

We have so many things in common, it makes us wonder if we aren't really sisters.

We know what the other is thinking before she opens her mouth.

The difference between us....

Well....

I am a COWgirl!

She is a HORSEgirl!

We tell each other things the other never wants to hear.

Just last week, she told me to go get a Dr. Pepper and a Snickers, AND GET OVER IT!

Probably what I needed to hear too.

There is rarely a rebuttal from the other, as we know what is said needs to be said.

It comes from our hearts with honesty and respect.

 

We keep each other balanced.

Always supporting the other.

Always with an "I LOVE YOU" attached.

We have struggled together through divorces, single motherhood, raising our children, and working two jobs.

So many stories come to mind while preparing to write this post!

There was a time when money was stretched thin for the both of us.

We had the three younger kids.

My big boy was in college.

The younger ones were little, as there is a 10 year span between my boys.

Melis and I pooled our "extra cash", took the little kids to rent a few movies, and headed to the local grocery store.

As we walked into the store, we told each one of them "You are allowed $10 each and 10 minutes to get whatever you want for snacks! GO!"

It was a mad rush for us all to get our snacks.

We returned to my house for movie night.

THAT is a night our kids still talk about and they are college students now!

We are both Daddy's Girls!

It was a struggle for us to have our daddies both sick at the same time.

Mine died in October, as Melis's died the following January.

Just one day after My Daddy's birthday.

Today is her Daddy's birthday too!

So many things we shared with our daddies!

As each of us worked two jobs, she would watch my boys while I worked my second job and I would watch her girls as she worked hers.

We depended on each other to help parent, gather children, and get them to activities.

We relied on each other to keep our kids centered in Christ and in Life!

The lessons we have learned!

Those lessons weren't just homework lessons either!

She taught Drewman to make meatloaf.

I baked cookies with her girls.

I cleaned her house.

She helped me paint mine.

Yes...

She knows my passwords!

AND

I know hers!

We've held hands in the worst of times and cried in the best!

We have grown from the days of constant struggle.

We are both in healthy loving relationships with men who truly compassionately care, nurture, protect, and support us.

Our conversations often start with "Why..." or "How..."

All as we are trying to solve the problems of the world.

 Our conclusions, to those questions, are answered by "Be thankful for simple things! LIKE SUNSETS!!"

Followed by a photo of one.  

Today, as she is off on a birthday getaway with the love of her life, she will read this and say,

"I'm only following the directions in the book!"

She claims I have written a book and she is only reading it, as I happened to leave a copy on my coffee table.

I am older than she, but only by a few years!

Therefore, it seems I have accomplished things before her or even crossed hurdles earlier than she.

NOT TRUE!

The reality of the story is....

I could have never written the chapters of the book without her!

She will also read this to her love, shed a few tears, gather herself, and text me.

The text will be something along the lines of "Really!  Did you have to tell the world? Really!"

Yes!  Yes, I Did!

Enjoy your trip, Sister!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Love You More!!

XOXO,

Rancher Girl