Day 7: Your Best friend

Throughout my life, I have only had a couple people that I could actually call my best friend. I always had close friends but few best friends. Currently, I consider myself to have three best friends. Instead of sticking to the topic of "your best friend" and having to pick only one, I'm going to tell you a little bit of all three of them.




JLC! She has been my best friend for eight years now. It all started when we were in middle school (J a grade higher than me). My mom told me that she didn't want me to walk the couple blocks home alone and suggested that I ask J to walk with me. Embarrassed that my mom wouldn't let me walk alone, I mustered up the courage to ask her to walk with me since we lived down the street from each other. So we started walking to and from the bus stop every day. J has always been someone that I can count on. She is always there for me to cry to and always knows the right things to say. Even though she doesn't always tell me what I want to hear, she tells me what I need to hear which is one of my favorite things about her! We have spent eight years crying together, growing together, and making fools out of ourselves together. Without her, I would not have survived the awkward stages of middle school, the crazy boys of high school, my insane freshman year at Longwood or life in general! I'm very blessed to have her in my life and I thank God for her every day; she is the lime to my lemon!! : )



RCA! R came around when I was already in a relationship but that didn't last long. I swore I was done with high school boys, but he stayed persistent. I couldn't have been more thankful than to have him there with me my senior year. We have gotten to share so much together: our show choir trip to NYC, senior prom, graduation, me getting into and moving away to college, him joining and leaving for the Navy. He has stayed by my side through all of these even when things got tough. He has shown me that even after you are 'old' and married, you can still have a good time! He brings out the best in me and I can't help but find myself smiling around him all the time. Out of all the people in the world, I wouldn't want to share my life with anyone else!! I have been lucky to enough to have him as my husband, but I have truly been blessed to have him as my best friend too!



CEBS! A couple years ago, a group of Navy girlfriends decided that we would make our own private group on facebook where we all got to connect on a deeper level. There were/ are about 30 of us in the group and one of them has become one of my best friends. C was always one of those Navy girls that I always thought it would be cool to meet in real life. We talked for a couple years when she told me that her husband, also named R, got orders to Virginia! I remember being so excited to finally get to meet her but also nervous because we hadn't even talked on the phone. The day they were moving to Virginia, C called me crying about the apartments they had planned to move in. About a week later, I went over to her apartment to meet her for the first time. From then on, we got to know each other even more and started hanging out at least once a week. A year and some months later, we have become very close friends. C and I share the same beliefs; I never knew that was so important in a friendship until recently. She is the type of friend that I don't have to worry about being a complete goof around because I know she won't judge me! I know God put her in my life because He knew we would always be there for each other (not to mention our pups are best friends but that's just another excuse for us to be friends!)

"We walk by faith, not by sight"

Walking into Chesterfield Baptist Church this morning, I honestly felt like my heart was breaking. After 8 years of friendship, countless girls nights, an insane about of memories, we were about to celebrate Lauren Elizabeth Tuck's life. Many have said that she left too soon, but even in her short 20 years, she was honestly one of the most inspirational people I have ever met in my life.

Mrs. Pittard's chorus class at Bailey Bridge Middle School is where our friendship all started. We got to talking & realized we were a lot alike. We laughed at the same things, had the same hobbies, even liked most of the same things (foods, colors, everything)!! In 8th grade, we had not only chorus together but also art class. People in our class told us that we could be sisters! From that day on, we almost started to convince ourselves that we could have been separated at birth. We started spending all our time together, whenever we could at school, having sleep overs, even starting our own notebook because we felt we didn't have enough time to talk in the day!!

In 9th grade, Lauren invited me to go play paint ball with her church. I'd never played before but couldn't have been more excited. We left from the church and spent all afternoon playing. Lauren and I were the ones to run around the field screaming and laughing trying to avoid all the paint balls! This is also where I first met one of my good friends, Marshall who was the first person to shoot me, right in the mouth! We all busted out laughing about how ridiculous I looked with paint splatted all over my face and all in my mouth.

We stayed in touch throughout the rest of high school and through freshman year of college. We saw each other every day our senior year between show choir and Mr. Pioch's English class, and we got together a couple times freshman year. Even though we didn't see each other every day anymore, we were the kind of friends that would keep in touch. We knew that no matter what came our way, we would always have each other if we needed anything.

Getting the news on Thursday, September 2nd, has been one of the hardest things to comprehend. It seems like just yesterday we were 13 year old girls, staying up all night talking about boys, and giggling about anything and everything.

Throughout the 8 years that I knew Lauren, she was always the one that could have you laughing even when you didn't want to smile. She was the one who could brighten up an entire room even on the darkest days. Just being around her always made me want to become a better person. Her love for Jesus was incredible and even when life got tough, she would praise Him for all she had. I have no doubt she is up in Heaven praising the God she loved so passionately. Lauren was truly a blessing in my life and I will forever cherish the memories we shared together. Until we meet again, rest in peace & always know that I love you Lauren Elizabeth Tuck, aka my sister separated at birth : )

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Roman 8:31-32

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

"He tends his flock like a Shepard: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young... those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40: 11; 31