My friend......

This is my friend Susan.

What do we know about Susan?

Well, we know that she is charming and beautiful!

Susan and I met almost 13 years ago when she had Dan and I over for dinner when we were dating. Let's just say we were not 'instant' friends. The reason there was not an instant love connection here was mainly because our lives were in very different places. I was a single mom of Johnny who was 7 (and would later become her son, Aaron's best friend). She was a mother of 2 young children at the time and we just didn't connect.

But, God had other plans for us.........

Two years later she was stuck with me. Living in the same town, our husbands working together, serving together at ladies conferences, and luncheons....she had to hang out with me...often. And after the first year, my genuine love for her (coupled with teaching her how to shop) over road those first awkward days and we became very very close.

So close, that Susan was there each time I had a baby. She even video-taped the birth of my son Noah, and called me from Africa when Christian arrived. She baby-sat them, went to the mall with me on day's I just had to get out when the kids were young and I was out-numbered. And as any good friend she laughed with me, and (by force) cried with me (Susan's not a cryer).

This photo was taken of her when she spoke at our ladies conference in 2006.

This was just before her world completely changed.

I have watched her walk through some valley's in the last 2 years that are deeper than we ever dreamed....yet God has sustained her and Bryon in His grace and they are more than surviving this trial, they are over coming it!! They are conquering it! They are winning! How? Because God always wins!

I am very proud of Susan and I love her very much!

I will never forget all the times she was there for me. She laughed at me (yes, I meant to write at not with!:) she helped me, she listened to me, she prayed with me, she ate tons of ice-cream with me when I was pregnant, she put that crazy triple stroller together for me before I could throw it out the window! Her and Bryon put ALL of our Christmas presents together each year, served with us at Calvary, ate Thai food with us,.....and on and on and on and on and on..............

I can't wait to see her again (and Bryon and Allie)! I bet she cries when she sees me!!! :)