19 years ago, God blessed the world with a great joy, and her name is Nicole. To me, Nicole is just that, she is a JOY, she knows how to make me laugh even on the worst days, she never ceases to have a smile on her face, no matter what life throws her way. Our friendship is very interesting because for most of both of our lives, we lived on different continents. My parents and Nicole's parents met overseas in Uganda, and they were able to maintain that friendship for many, many years, and pass it on to their children. Nicole lived in Morocco with her family for the majority of her life, so it was a rare occasion that I got to see her, but I still remember talking on the phone as I sat watching Saturday morning cartoons, or describing in great detail what we had gotten on Christmas morning. As we grew older, our friendship grew deeper, we truly became the BEST of friends, two peas in a pod, and SO many other analogies. In the summer of my freshman year, we both thought we were dreaming, neither one of us could have imagined this, but Nicole came to stay with us for TWO whole weeks! So much insanity took place in those two weeks, but they were easily the greatest two weeks of my life. We laughed so hard we cried, explored the sketchiness of China Town(don't ask...), and just truly enjoyed being together. A few years after that, Nicole's life took a turn, after spending 15(I THINK) years in Morocco, establishing friends and a life there, and raising a family there, Nicole and her family felt the Lord calling them BACK to the States.
Here's what is so amazing to me; I have not had the easiest time adjusting to moving across the COUNTRY, can you imagine moving across the WORLD?? Obviously, being a teenage girl who had lived her whole life in Morocco, she wasn't HAPPY to be leaving her home, but she trusted in God, she trusted that God would provide for her family. Thinking back on this now, I realize how lucky I am that this happened. During Graham's passing, Nicole was my main life-line, she is the FIRST person I called when I got the news, and without so much as batting an eye, she and her Dad packed up and drove down to Chicago to be with us. How awesome is that? Talk about good timing!
Obviously, we've had our fights, and disagreements. We've had our ups and downs, but when it comes down to it? We will always, ALWAYS be there for each other, no matter what. I am so grateful to have SUCH an amazing friend and sister in Christ, and it is so clear to me that God brought us together and kids, and held us together through her move, through my loss, and now through her freshman year of college in the States, while her family is now serving in Tunisia. I pray that God would continue to bless us and keep us in each others hearts and college presents new challenges and obstacles, and I pray that no matter HOW far away we are, our friendship will not change :) Happiest of birthdays to you, NICOLE ANGELA CRANE!!!!!!!!! I love you SOOOOO much, but I miss you even more, so road trip?? I think yes....;)
Friends, forever and always
<3 Always,
Rose
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