Today I realized

.....that life is too short to lose your friends, to lose your dog, to lose your prespective on things. I know, I know, I'm almost 40 (OMG only a few more weeks LOL) and I should have known this already. I do, but occassionally life throws a curve ball at you, and you have to stop, take breath, and say "ahhhh."

Friends, oh how do you even blog about them without feeling a warmth come over you, and wonder how you have gotten thru your life to this point, and how you'll get thru the rest of your life if they aren't in it? Over the years many friends and I have come and gone, and I so wished that I could talk about everyone, but there are a few I wanna talk about today.

My husband....he is truly my best friend in the entire world. I can't breathe without him. When he leaves for a deployment, I kiss him, and hug him, cry, and then hold my breath till he comes home. He saved me from myself, I didn't realize how much I could love someone till I met him. He is everything that I never knew I needed in my world.

My sister, do I call her my friend or does she only get labeled my sister? I think she is my friend first, and my sister second. She isn't married to the military, but with her job might as well be LOL. She and I have so many DIFFERENT...yet the SAME opinions, about healthcare, and politics, and our family members, and our kids, and etc, etc, etc, that I don't know where, or how we ever agree, but we do, and she is truly one of the strongest, yet nerve wracking individuals I have ever in my life met. But sis I can tell you I NEVER wanna do this with out you.

My sister in law, Terri. Now the label "in-law" automatically makes you WONDER where my brain is LOL, but here's the deal she's the "in-law" in this family too, so neither of us actually fit in. First thing I found we had in common is the fact that our husband's family doesn't like EITHER of us....I don't know why, I mean I think we are both funny as hell. But apparently, she's a bit of a snob, and I'm really tactless....ooops....like us or hate us I say (they all choose the later LOL). None the less Terri has taught me things that I never knew could or would happen in life.....lets just say "in-laws" and "dog stickers on weapons" and shopping for Coach purses are things that we laugh about so hard we can't breath some days LOL. Thank you my dear SIL, I do love you tons.

My friend Aaron, he has come and gone from my life lots over the years, and we have fought on and off, and we will continue to fight on and off, and disagree, but I will tell you that he has and continues to touch my life. The other night, I was missing Shayne so much, and I saw Aaron was on, and shot him a note, and he immediately responded with the support I needed to find my strength again...thank you my dear friend I so needed it, and I did make it thru.

My friend Peggie, honey w/o you I don't know where I'd be some days. I know I can do it, and I know I will. But you truly have been a rock in my life for so many years now. Can you believe we met online, we send Christmas cards, and you send KD movies, and two women that have never met, found "something' that keeps us connected...and I'd like to say it is more than being military wives. Thank you Peggie for always, day or night being there for me.

My friend Amber. I met her about 4 years ago when we made our first PCS to NC. Who knew that we'd be in another state now and still talk everyday....sometimes SEVERAL times a day LOL. Amber and I are COMPLETELY different on our views, but we somehow found a common ground to meet and be friends on. I treasure the times we have had together and know that whatever the future holds for both of us that we'll always have each other to fall back on.

And finally my newest, yet should be an older, friend Emily. She and Amber have been BFF's for years before I came into the picture, and then we met, spoke, and then I busted on Amber every time she'd call me re: a situation, and I'd say "well what does Emily say?" Not like I really cared, I was just prying to see what the "BFF" said, since apparently I wasn't that person. So recently Amber has had some HUGE cliffs to climb in her life and her marriage, and Amber brought Emily and I together on the phone. Now we (Amber, Emily, and I) talk everyday, and we laugh. Emily is a mom, military wife, and the funniest person I think I have ever met. At first we talked out of worry, and looking for ways to help our friend. But one day we got on the phone and it was "no holds bar" laughing about kids, and husbands, and jobs, and the military, and pop tarts. Emily is going to Japan in a few months, and for most friends that would be hard on a relationship. But see Emily and I (although we've met in the past face to face) are phone friends, so it'll be ok for us. I get up early, she's the "knight rider" so we'll meet in the middle to chat. I am glad I met her, and thank God everyday for making me laugh.

And finally, my friend Donna. I'm not sure what God was thinking when he held her from my life till right now. But her husband is in the Navy, he's deployed right now, we have a lot of the same beliefs regarding PTA and kids, and love, and shopping, and currently cleaning...neither of us wanna do it LOL. Donna makes me smile, and although I wanna kick her ass for talking me into PTSA for ANOTHER whole year, I'm grateful for her friendship, and thankful for Starbucks and the laughs we share.

So there you have it a FEW of my "adult" friends in my life that help me get thru each and every day. I don't know where I'd be without any one of them. So today, as I watched my dog get sicker, and slowly get ready to die, I realized that I don't want to lose anyone of these people from my life, and I will work to keep my friendships close to my heart forever. Thank you gang for being in my life.