Thursday, November 19, 2009

FRIENDS . . . . .

I am proclaiming all Fridays as . . . drum roll . . . . FAST FRIEND FRIDAY !!!! This is going to be my little tribute to friends, near, dear, far, in my heart, making my heart happy, making my heart sad . . . . I think we all need to remind people how much they mean to us from time to time, it makes them feel good, it makes us feel good . . . and we all need to feel better. . . right. . . . SO. . FAST FRIEND FRIDAY version 1 . . . .

Yep, these are two of my friends, my dear friends, friends I love, friends I don't nearly spend enough time with, friends who really know me, friends who really CARE about ME, care about my family . . . . let me share. . . .



On the left is Sharon Drake Pope. . . The Popester as I call her . . . we met in mid-2000 as she one of the original crew members at the Embassy Suites that we opened together !! Immediately, Sharon and I had a bond, we didn't know why, but we did. . . . well. . . I tell you why. . . we lived parallel lives !!! Both lived in San Luis Obispo, and for those of you who don't know, you always bond with anyone from SLO immediately, it is just some unspoken thing, our fathers both worked their lifetimes for PG&E - which inturn made us PG&E brats - and we both moved to Vegas on our own with no family !!! Over the last 9 years, I have gotten to see Sharon start her wonderful family with Hayleigh and Logan, we have SHARED so many hours discussing anxiety issues with kids and I have tried to help her with the little wisdom I have !! Sharon. . . I say this loud and proud - - SHE LOVES MY KIDS !!! There is something about her. . . Sammy LOVES Sharon. Sharon has taken them on occasion for the day or afternoon when I have to be stuck being a "bad" mom (working) and I kid you not, Sammy will tell me stories for MONTHS after that . . . I think that most important thing is she treats him as a friend . . . not as a child . . . Sammy respects that, I LOVE SHARON FOR THAT !! Let me say this. . I LOVE SHARON !!!

Shannon Don Owen Bernard is on the right - - Oh Shannon !!! I met Shannon in 1999, OMG 10 years ago, while interview for the Embassy Suites job. I will tell you this honestly, it took some time for Shannon and I to bond. . . Shannon is VERY quiet - - well atleast she likes people to think so !!! She doesn't share easily, more like she doesn't like to burden - - but I taught her it isn't a burden, it is a gift, a gift that friends share !! Over the years, I think I spend more time in Shannon's office than my own. I have cried many tears in her office, tears of laughter - - oh god, I remember laughing so hard we would cry and our GM Duane would start in too and the whole office would be in tear - - tears of sadness, tears of frustrations, tears of joy !!! Shannon listened to EVERY SINGLE WORD I ever needed to say about my kids !!! Shannon is a lifelong Vegas local, and her family welcomed me as one of their own !! Her mom and sisters called me sister and kid - - and would always ask Shannon where their other sister was !!! When Shannon was late to work one day, and didn't tell me where she was going to be - - I spend 2 hours calling her family, hospitals, the police, highway patrol - - then she comes walking in and I wouldn't talk to her all day !!!! I share with you this true friendship story . . . after my colonoscopy 2 years ago, Shannon was the friend that picked me up from the hospital, the friend that came into recover and heard my diagnoises (won't share here sorry), my friend who heard me pass gas for 1 full hour - hey, they pump you full of air to get a good look - my friend who tucked me in my bed at home - - THAT IS A FRIEND IN DEED !!!

These two friends of mine came out to an event that I was organizing, The Silverman Triathlon Aid Station #3 on the run course. It was hosted by the BCH Swim Team Parent Booster Club. These friends don't have kids that swim . . . these friends came out to support ME . . . it meant the world to me . . . they came for me . . . they took 3 hours out of their Sunday afternoon - usually family day - - to pass out gatorade, water, and gels to people they didn't know. . . .for me !!!! And they wore those cute head bobber things just for me !!! THANK YOU !! Thank you for supporting me, thank you for loving me, thank you for being you, and thank you for the priviledge of me saying. . . YOU BOTH ARE MY FRIEND !!!

I share with you these thoughts today because I have decided that life is busy, life is crazy, life makes you selfish. I think I am pretty good at telling my friends they are special, I am not so good about making time for them. And some people never know why they are special, never know that these little acts mean so very much to me !!! I want people to know why they are special . . FAST FRIEND FRIDAY . . . yep, that is what it is from now on !!!


Life is Good. . . .





1 comment:

Carol L said...

Unselfish and so you (: