15 Years with my BFF!

My best friend, Rachel (Van Riper) Petmecky, posted this lovely picture of us today on Facebook. This was such a wonderful picture to be greeted with when logging on. The instant I saw this pic I remembered that 15 years ago, this month, Rachel and I became friends, later Best Friends, and now more close sisters than anything else.

Rachel and I have been through a lot together. Literally, almost everyday as teenagers we would have what we called "court time" we would walk around the court that I lived on and talk and talk about EVERYTHING. Her troubles, my troubles, the countless boys I crushed over, her successes with swimming, our tears and laughs. We talked about growing up and getting married at the same time, having babies at the same time and living next door so our children could be best friends. I was also her personal hair stylist and makeup artist...

This is her 8th grade graduation, I did her hair and makeup...

 

Oh my gosh.... remember when pookah shell necklaces were in?? ha ha!

 

 

Growing up, I felt like her teacher, or her wiser older sister. Little did I know, she would later become mine. I wanted to make sure she knew that even when life got hard, she had a loving Heavenly Father that loved her sooooo much, and that He would take care of her. When I left to college in 2005 I was so worried she would forget (she didn't), and I was also worried that we would loose touch (I'm sure she felt the same way).

Well, we didn't...

Rachel was my Maid of Honor at my wedding in 2007

 

She followed me to New Mexico.... and found a guy...

 

And I was her Matron of Honor in 2009

 

We lived in the same apartment complex here in New Mexico and I got to watch her family grow...

 

(I took this pic at the park across the street from the apartment complex)

Such a Cute Family!! AND... The just celebrated baby #2!! A cutie pie little boy named Parker.

 

 

Rachel and I don't live as close anymore (we are and 1.5 hours away from each other) but I feel we have become even closer friends and even better sisters. She is such a wonderful example to me of an awesome stay-at-home-mommy. I learn from her everyday and she inspired me to live healthy. Someday, when Curtis and I are blessed with babies, I hope to be even half the kind of mother Rachel is to her babies.

I love our friendship and I can't imagine my life without my sister Rachel. I hope and pray we are never far apart from each other. And if we are for a time, that's OK, cause someday we will end up "right next door" to each other. :-)

Happy 15 Year Friendship Anniversary Rachel! Love ya girl!!