Day 295-Rachel

(Wednesday)

Hey guys,

      It's true what they say, "You never know what you've got until it's gone." and that's how I felt today. Since leaving, I have certainly lost contact with many friends, and that really breaks my heart, but at the same time, I know that the friends I AM keeping contact with are real and true friends. Long distance friendships are definitely very hard, but they also strengthen the relationship between the two of you. In the past 2 years, Rachel and I have become fast friends, whether it was grabbing dinner together, roller skating up to the park, or just worshiping our awesome God together at 8:23 nights, we have learned to love, encourage, and support each other. Our last week in Wheaton, to things happened in our friendship; first, Rachel never left. Literally. She would leave at like 10 o'clock at night every day, and most days she'd be up playing with the boys when I woke up. She wanted to savor every moment she could not only with me, but with our family. The second thing that happened was a lot more subtle, I really believe that the two of us began to prepare ourselves for the worst. We began preparing ourselves for good-bye's, the long months apart, the loneliness, and missing each other, but honestly, we were fools. Nothing has changed about our friendship, we still love, encourage, and support each other, probably more now than when we got to see each other every week. The time we spent together, and the time we get to spend talking to each other has so much more meaning and substance now. We are real with each other and how are lives are, and we look forward to the next time we get to see each other, no matter how far away that might be. Our friendship has actually GROWN since I left, because we've both experienced life without seeing each other every week, and we realize how blessed we are to have each other. Rachel, I love you, I love you, I. LOVE. YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait to see you in 2 weeks, and I'm SO glad that we will have an ENTIRE day to spend together!!

<3 Always,
Rose