Bethanie: my childhood friend

Does anyone else besides myself remember collecting Lisa Frank stationary when they were little girls? My neighbor and best friend Bethanie used to collect tons of it. I was always jealous of her collection. I had a few things, but Bethanie had the full, all-out collection of everything Lisa Frank. She kept it so organized and had everything I wanted.

Before I moved from Richmond, VA to Gaithersburg, MD, I gave her the little bit of Lisa Frank stuff that I had. We moved away, and I eventually lost touch with my best friend.

Having Bethanie as a friend when I was a little girl influenced who I became as an adult. I loved what a sweet person Bethanie was. She looked up to me because I was older. I think I subconsciously knew that  she looked up to me, because I remember thinking that I needed to be a good example. I've always kinda been the older one in friendships I've had with other girls growing up, and this mindset of wanting to set a good example has always stuck with me and played apart of who I am, my character, and who I want to be. Even when we lost touch for all those years, I would think back at this dear friendship I used to have with my friend and would pray for her. I was used to loosing touch with people who were dear to me (grandparents, my father, my friends in Richmond) but Bethanie was one of the hardest losses for me. I missed my friend.

Fast forward to about 10 years later. I found Bethanie on MySpace. I was ecstatic and in tears; I found my childhood friend! She was married, and had a son! Jonathan and I visited her and her family during one of our visits to Richmond, where we reunited. We reminisced about being children and shared with each other old memories that only we would remember, including our crazy fetish for Lisa Frank stationary.

5 years later = Christmastime 2011 (like, 2 months ago). We had Bethanie, her husband Zuhir, and her 2 boys over to our house from Richmond, VA. I knew that Bethanie would be bringing some of her Lisa Frank stuff with her so we could look through it and reminisce. What I **didn't** know is that she'd be bring ALL of it up here, still completely organized from years ago, and would be giving every bit of it to Schuyler! Sky was so excited to have an endless amount of crafts and stationary. I was shocked that Bethanie gave her everything she ever collected. It meant so much to me, because I know how much this stuff meant to Bethanie.

Sky uses this stationary every day. Not joking:: ev-ery-sin-gle-day. It's been so nostalgic rediscovering the different patterns and characters on this sentimental stationary, bringing back vivid memories of being upstairs in Bethanie's room going through her precious collection. You wanna know something fun? Since December, I've been finding all of these letters Bethanie wrote about 15 years ago. All written to me. Because we lost touch, she had no way of getting them to me. But she kept writing. And saved every one. Tonight, Sky was writing a note to her best friend, Kaylie, who also lives next door. When she opened the envelope to put her letter inside, she pulled out yet another precious note Bethanie had written to me over 15 years ago.

I cried.

It's been a sweet reminder from the Lord of how GOOD God has been to me throughout my life, to give me friends that care for me so much. Even though we had lost touch, Bethanie continued to write letters to me, as though I had never left her life. And that's the cool thing: We never really did leave each others' lives; she's been apart of my life and my heart for most of my life, and in finding these letters I'm able to see that I never left her life, either.

Friends are such a gift from the Lord. I'm so blessed to have true, meaningful, sweet, lasting, loyal friendships with dear gems such as Bethanie. Love you, friend.