Being a good friend...

 

I am VERY fortunate that I've had some wonderful friends in my lifetime.  

My very first best friend was Marianne McColeman.  I can remember sleepovers at her house in her bunkie in the backyard.  Her Mom and Dad were so very welcoming.  She had an older sister and I was insanely jealous of her having someone she could talk to that was older and wiser.  We went to the same dance class together and along with Patty-Jo LeCollier and Shannon Garland, we were unstoppable.  

My next best friend would be Cari Rastas (now Van Niekerk).  Grade 5, Miss MacDonald's class.  We were attached at the hip.  We would remain friends all through high school and are still friends to this day.  We found ourselves in so many adventures and pickles...we added Julie Tjan along the way and were a threesome!  

I've made amazing Momma friends through my prenatal group.  Leanne Stirling, Cathryn Fallis, and Rachelle Atkinson.  Friends from the breastfeeding cafe, Megan Grewal, Geri Bean, Timea, Lori Bertoni, and Terri Newman.  

I've also made wonderful friends in the workplace.  Joanne McNeil and Tia Lember from Bulk Barn, Renee Frechette, Ashlea Theo, and Mihaela Mihai from SCI, Linda Middleton, Monika Bernolak, Alana Peterson, Daniela Pandza from Georgian College, Heidi Kostrya, Jodi Swayze, Daniela Moore, Karen Hansen, Mary Anne Moran, Melissa Dietrich (I could go on and on for Remax girls I love!).  

I've also made wonderful quilting friends.  Kathy McKim, Dara Murphy, Amanda Graham, Susan Nelson, and Judi Fenton.  

Then I've made friends through friends, like Nicole Stewart, Alda Tee, Carol Taylor, and Karen Schmidt.  

I am a lucky lucky lady to be surrounded by amazing and supportive women.  

I wonder if I've always been the supportive woman that I can be.  I know I have times that I have been very supportive - but there are other times when I seem to not even be able to handle my own life so I start to retreat and pull away from those friends who I could use the most in those times.  

I'm actually quite shocked at the list of people I have here.  I'm so blessed.  

I need to work on being a better friend.  Scheduling friend time, or phone calls or emails.  I 'forget' about friends and get so caught up in my own life - and then wonder why the phone isn't ringing or texts aren't coming through.  

I think I need to brainstorm ways to be closer to people and keep in touch more.  Calendar reminders, little note cards, etc.