I have some of the most amazing friends! I say that a lot. I say it a lot because it is so true! I do not take my friends for granted at all. They've been with me through good times and bad times. And, my bad times aren't the normal bad times. They are the worst of times. But, instead of taking the easy road, my friends have continued to stick by our family. They have been there to encourage us, pray of us, lend a shoulder to cry on, let us vent our anger and frustration, etc. Without the many friends I am blessed with, I wouldn't have made it this far.
This past Saturday we joined some of our friends for a cookout at the park. The friends that were at the park with us were there for a special reason. They recently gave us a gift. So, the families involved planned a time that we could get together and eat, fellowship and recall some of the memories we have.
Before I mention the gift these friends got us, I'll explain a little bit. Chad and I haven't been through Chandler's room yet to sort through his things. It's an emotional, difficult task and I haven't been ready to do it. I also refuse to just go through his stuff and pack it in totes and just store them somewhere. His stuff means more to me than that. I know it's just "stuff" but it's Chandler's stuff. And, right now, those things are the closest things I have to being able to touch him. So, Chad and I have tried to think of a way to store Chandler's things and have them nearby. We decided the best thing to do would be to purchase a chest. That way, we can put it in our bedroom at the foot of our bed. If I feel the need to have my hands on his things at any time, then they would be right there within reach. So, that was our plan. Well, some of our friends have heard me talking about our plan for a chest. So, several families went in together and purchased us a Lane cedar chest. It is absolutely beautiful. It is sitting at the foot of my bed and it's ready for me to put Chandler's things in it. The chest means so much to me and Chad. I can't even come up with words that would really allow these friends to truly know how thankful I am. It's not the normal "thank you". It's much more than that. When I look at the chest, I think of all of the families involved that gave it to us. I'll think of them every day, from now on. They gave us the most special gift we could ever receive. A beautiful gift to hold on to all of Chandler's things that mean the world to me.
