a little friendship; a lot of love

I am a part-time children's director at our church and I share an office with the parish nurse.  T is my parents age, about 25 years older than me.  When we first started sharing an office, I thought it was just to be a good steward of the church's space.  I never expected that little move to be the beginning of a great friendship.

Over the 3-4 years that we have shared an office, we have gotten to know each other better and my family now considers her to be one of us.  I have lots of girlfriends but T is different.  She can be like a mother, like a friend, and sometimes even like a sister.  She kicks my butt when it needs to be kicked and she is always there.  We live 2.5 hours from family so when something happens and we need extra hands, she is always the first person to show up.  She also deeply respects my relationships with my own mother and sister and knows when it's time to be there and when it's time to go.  She rocks!

T completely sums up unconditional love.  She has seen our house a complete wreck.  She has seen me sick.  She has seen me at my lowest and also on the mountains of life.  She has walked with us through some of our toughest journeys as parents.  She gets it; really gets it.  We can share opinions and no one gets offended.  I know that I can always laugh or cry with T.  She always reminds me who is really in charge--in both bad times and good.  She is the most faithful person I know and I love that about her.  She knows the real me.   Complete transparency.  There is no "putting on a brave face" with her.  She can see right through it.  She knows when to call and when to not.  She has taught me things about being a friend that I will take with me the rest of life.  Plus, she always has a pint of Ben and Jerry's when it really counts:)

A few months ago she mentioned wanting family photos sometime that her kids were home.  The weekend that the stars aligned, I was just not feeling it.  We were in the middle of a valley with one of our kids' health and I just was not in photographer mode.  Still, I promised a friend so I delivered.  This was one of the worst sessions I have ever shot.  I wasn't feeling it and it showed.  Still--I uncovered something in processing their photos.  True love.

My husband and I have been married for 10 years and while that is not a very long time, it's long enough to realize that love that lasts and stays true for 3, 4, or 5 times that long is pretty much a gift from God.  T  and her husband J have been married for 34 years.  And still, after 34 years, true love and "that look" still exist.  I love watching old love--that love that has survived children and arguments, big decisions, moves, time apart, in-laws and out-laws, and empty-nesting.  Looking at J and T reminded me of that.  They emit true love that is stronger than the day is was forged and that is here to stay.

And my favorite of their family shots, just to show off her entire beautiful family.