The other day, I happened to pick up one of the small picture albums I have sitting around the house. The first photo inside is of a good friend’s children and their dog. The picture was taken several years ago, when the kids were much younger. It brought back memories.
Felisha and I got to be friends when her family moved into the third-floor apartment in my building. We were on the first floor, so we saw them every time they came and went. We became fast friends. Her daughter was a year younger than Chick and a year older than Rooster…smack dab in the middle…perfect.
Felisha and I instantly hit it off. We both stayed home full-time, so we spent many, many days together either playing with the kids in the pool or chatting while we watched them run around the playground. It was a friendship deeply forged by conversations centered on our faith, child rearing issues, or common complaints about marriage. I even bought her a pregnancy test when she suspected she was expecting child #2. The test came back negative, but I was convinced it was wrong. I was right. A second test a few weeks later proved that. Felisha was like a sister to me, so it was natural for me to “adopt” her children into my family as well.
One summer, Felisha and I moved into houses across town from one another, but we worked hard to keep the friendship going.
She had a large, extended family. We didn’t have anyone close by, so we were often invited to their get-togethers. Christmas was an especially fun time. We were the only non-relatives invited to their party. Her mom cooked the food, and let me tell you, boy could she cook.
During Christmas, her children came to my house, and we decorated cookies and exchanged gifts. Right now, Rooster and I are drinking hot chocolate out of some mugs that she gave me one year.
Sigh…
I really miss her.
I’ve tried very hard to stay in touch since we moved to north Florida, but she’s had some major family issues and now I can’t get a hold of her. It makes me sad.
Still, every time I see pictures of the kids, I’m taken back to the warm, fuzzy feelings of Christmas and times spent together.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: christmas, friendship | Leave a comment »
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