When Friends Become Sisters...

Not many people my age can say that they have had a best friend for twenty years...well guess what?... I can...

Megan Marie Sartwell walked into my life at the age of 5 (I was 4). Her dad and my second cousin, Kathy, were starting to date and thought it would be nice for Megan to have someone to hang out with while they were courting (that is what they called it back in the day). I was kind of the default friend because I was the only girl in the family and happened to be around the same age. They decided to take us camping. I don't remember a whole lot about the first days but i remember I was so excited to have a girl to hang out with. I grew up with all boy cousins and a brother so I would befriend any girl at the time. I had my Minnie Mouse suitcase packed, my Cabbage Patch doll, and most importantly, my baby blanket (which I still never leave home without). I remember the  car pulling up in front of my house and I was nervous and excited. By the end of that first camping trip we were best friends, especially because we both loved our baby blankets so much. That was the first of many moments of our 20 year friendship...

Throughout the years we have shared many happy and many sad moments together. We discovered boys around the same time, we cried when one of us got our heart broken, we would stay up all night talking and giggling, we would try on prom dresses together even though we were in college (and beyond)...we did everything...together.

Somehow we have remained friends despite our distance. We had never lived in the same town until last May when I moved back to Minot.

There have been moments in our friendship that I have stood back and thought about all that we have been through or experienced together. It is amazing that we have never fought! We can tell each other everything and can't wait to share things that we aren't suppose to tell anyone.

We always seem to make it to each others big events....confirmation, high school graduation, college graduation, marriage, divorce, and most recently....the birth of her first baby.

I am so thankful and blessed to have a friend that truely feels like a sister. We are always laughing (usually at something that one of us did or said) and that is what keeps our friendship fun and interesting.

I love every minute that we spend together and always look forward to our next Target run or girls night.

I can't wait to see what our future holds and no matter what life throws our way, we will laugh, cry, or talk through it...together...

Continuing my Journey...with my Soul Sister

Bella

I was thinking about the day that I met Bella at the pet store...

I was getting new tires put on my car at Sears because I had to do a lot of driving between Minot and Grand Forks during my transition. It wasn't going to take too long so I decided to walk around the mall. I had always avoided the pet store because Matt was allergic to animals so a dog was out of the question. I was walking out of Sears which happens to be right by the pet store...I passed it and walked around for a long time. On my return to Sears, I had a moment...

I stood outside contemplating going inside. Finally, I got up the courage to go in. (It sounds retarded but this was a big deal for me). My heart just melted....I saw the miniature dachsunds (my mom's dog, and our first family pet, Koby is a mini dachsund), the labs, pugs...and then...the chihuahua shiz tsu mixes...
I stared into the glass and watched Bella (the female according to the pet store) play with her brother for EVER. The pet store employee asked me three times if I wanted to hold one and I kept saying no because i knew if i held one, that i would be hooked. Finally I gave in...I walked around holding her for 20 minutes just going back and forth about whether or not I should buy her (a little spendy for an unemployed college student in the process of divorce and moving back home) My heart sank when I had to return her to her brother. I went home and thought about her all night long.

 I woke up the next day and had to return to Sears to have my new tires balanced, I made a stop at Wells Fargo on the way and found myself back in the pet store just looking at Bella. I held her and walked around with her for a while and decided there was no way I could give her back. I picked out her "firsts" and then made my way back to Sears toting Bella and her accessories.

I like to think that Bella was just what I needed at the time. I was so alone and needed someone beside me during my move and divorce. Bella went everywhere with me; Target, WalMart, you name it she was toted along. I have never once regretted my decision, even when she has accidents, barks, chews apart my iPod cord, you name it. She saved me from a very dark and depressing place. She makes me smile and laugh everyday.It is comforting to know that we will always have each other and she will always be there to make me smile when times get tough. I love her and think she is one of the best investments I have ever made.

Continuing my journey...with Bella