Friendships....

This blog is a bit personal and allows you to take a look into who I am and how I treat friendships.  I'm not a writer so bare with me as I attempt to get my feelings and emotions out in Black and White.

 

First off I have many friends from all over the country and I appreciate all of them. 

However I only hold a few people near and dear to me. 

I have a good handful of women that I would truly call "FRIENDS" 

I LOVE these ladies with all my heart and would do anything to be there for them! 

 

My love language is "acts of service"....if you know me this totally makes sense.  I'm not one for gifts or time or physical touch (although they all have their place and are welcome) but any act of service done for me or to help me is when I seem to perk up and realize that this is a good friend!

I'm not one for being shallow or having superficial friendships with those closest to me.   

When I meet someone and have a connection with them I immediately want to invest in them.

 Meaning I put my heart on the table and want to dig deep into a meaningful friendship. 

I think this is a strength of mine as I give it my all BUT it can also be a weakness as I have been burned and hurt by many because of this!

Some friendships stick and some fall to the wayside.  

Some have hurtful endings and others it's just not meant to be that 'type' of friendship. 

 

I hope I'm making sense here??!! 

 

Anyway.....friendships are easy to me if the other side is 'all in' like me ....if not then it can get tricky.....(even among family members.)

 

I've been through some MAJOR ups and downs this past year. 

Enough to swing me into a depression. 

Yes I said it allowed....I have been the happiest in my life this year and I've been my saddest.
I've been through the birth of my son, the lose of my grandfather, painful stabs from family both in-law and paternal. I've been through the most amazing summer yet the most difficult summer.  I've gained some friends and lost some friends. I've been through being a Mom and letting my daughter go a tiny bit into the real world. 
That's all just grazing the surface. 
It's been quite a year and I've stretched, grown and became (hopefully) wiser on the other side
 

Many of you know I've announced I'm taking some ME time and closing down shop for awhile. 
One thing I want to do for me is....I want to capture more personal portraits!

 

I recently had the opportunity to capture a good friend in a journey of her own. 

She is one of 10 contestants for the Steele Fitness Challenge

She is working her butt off and doing an amazing job joggling, her husband, 2 kids, work, church, and herself!!

(VOTE now if you are reading this ...go BERT) 

 

When I look at these images I see MY journey, right in front of me, in black and white...the struggles, the pain, the laughs, the sweat, the joy of the outcome from hard work!!
I have chosen to surround myself with those kinda like this personal trainer of Bert's. 
Friends (and Family) are suppose to make you a better person, to push you to go farther, do better, to dig deeper, to laugh with you, to cry with you, etc. 
These are the people I choose to surround myself with. 

 

Thank you to those friends that let me cry on their shoulder (or over the phone)
Thank you to those friends that offered to watch my kids so I don't get overwhelmed with work.  Thank you to those friends that made me laugh.
Thank you to those friends that just called to say hi.
Thank you to those friends that even from a distance I feel close with. 
Thank you to those friends that understand me. 
Thank you to those friends that are truly my friend!

 

ENJOY