my friend Jen

 I have a friend named Jen.  She has been my friend for a long, long time.  We have done a lot of life together.....and I mean a lot.  We have transcended friendship and become family for several reasons....one reason is because neither of us had a sister and we both could have used one with the lives we were given.  So we became "sisters from another mister".  Another reason we became family is because we don't really like all of the same kinds of things or have the same interests so staying friends could have been a lot of work....but it's different when you are family.  Family sticks together.  Here is an example.  I don't like to decorate or remodel things.  I don't like to go shopping or look for good deals.  I would rather just buy something and move on.  I also don't have money to just do things like that when it is time to do it.  God blessed me and my family with Auntie Jen.  She floats in and makes things better over and over and over around here.  She is the driving force and artist behind almost everything that gets painted, moved and redone in my  house.  It helps that she finds painting to be calming and relaxing.  It helps that she was a 4H princess back in the day.....and I so was not.  (we would NOT have been friends as kids).  

Jen has sat behind the taco bar and cupcake stand at Claire's graduation party, taken pictures at all of my children's sports, some at proms, remodelled countless bedroom projects and painted almost every room in my house.  She has heard all of my deepest hurts, drove all the way to Okoboji to hug me and stand in line at the visitation of my father's funeral, waited for every update on every health or time-sensitive issue in my life for the past 20 years.  

Everyone should have a Jen.  

Claire was here today.  She and Jonah are packing up, finishing school, getting ready to move to Sioux Falls and start life post-college in a new place with jobs.  We were talking through all of the stuff that goes with that and also talking about Jen's latest project.  She has been coming over again to redo Josiah's room for the second time.  8 years ago she and a big group came in to build him a room for the first time....but that story is for another day.  He wanted a room redo and he and auntie Jen made and plan and she has been coming over every so often while we are at work and school and has been  painting and hammering and doing "Jen things" and getting his big boy room all spiffed up.  It's almost done.  Just as Claire was leaving she said, "I hope God brings me a Jen someday.  I want a friend like that, too."  I told her.....oh Claire.  If you need one, He sure will.  He definitely knew I needed a Jen friend so that is what He brought me.  

If you need a Jen friend ask God for one but don't try hone in on mine please....I'm gonna need her for awile yet.