Happy Birthday, Bev!

I can't let this day end without wishing one of my best friends a Happy Birthday! I won't say her age because she'd shutter... but truth is, she should wear it proudly. She makes getting "old" look fabulous! She is wise, thoughtful, strong, funny, experienced, understanding, feisty, spiritual, stylish, always around when I need a shoulder to cry on, easy to talk to, in the-know, caring and absolutely wonderful in every way.

Bev and I met on Mother's Day four years ago. You can read her Journey Through Grief HERE. If you've already read it, but it's been a while, I would suggest you read it again. I cried as I read it today and I've heard the story a hundred times. Reading her stories of pain and loss make me so grateful for the little things in my life. We honestly NEVER KNOW when someone we love will be taken from our lives. Knowing what she's gone through makes me feel like I complain too much... like I have yet to experience something hard.. like I am not living my life to the fullest. She is a great example of strength in my life. She has been through SO MUCH and she continues to live everyday to the fullest. She is active, energetic and continues to surround herself with things that make her happy. I am so grateful for her friendship and example in my life. We still talk every each week. When I forget to call on a particular Sunday, I feel empty-- like I haven't had my Bev fix! She is so uplifting and wise. I feel so comfortable to talk about all my problems and she always has my back and sticks up for me, no matter what. I love her very much.

I am going to take this opportunity to be personal and give the credit where the credit is due. Four years ago, I had an impression in my kitchen to call Bev. I wrote about it HERE. I was vague about it because I didn't feel comfortable sharing my spiritual experiences to such a large audience. Since that time, I have a clearer understanding and a stronger testimony of why I was given that prompting.

While doing my dishes four years ago, with my hands in the water, someone told me to call Bev. I didn't even know her name at the time, but her face was in my head and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I continued doing the dishes, knowing very well that I would call her after I was finished. The impression came again to call her and to do it NOW. So I dried my hands and picked up the phone. I spoke with her that night and didn't know what to say, but our hearts were both touched and since the first time we met, we've both known there was a greater power that lead us together. I want to tell you today, that I know those impressions came from her daughters, Janet and Denise. I know without a doubt that they were thinking of THEIR mother that day and wanted to personally wish her a Happy Mother's Day. I happened to live close enough to her and was lonely myself and needed a friend. What a perfect match!

I know without a doubt that we have guardian angels looking over us. I believe that our loved ones who have passed on are closer than we realize. In the past few months, I have felt the love of my Grandma Roma so close. She has been here with me, in my lonely nights without a husband. She has sent me several gifts of love and I truly believe that Bev's daughters and my grandma were working very closely on the other side trying to connect us with each other. Bev was put in my life for a reason. At the time, I thought I needed to call her so SHE could have someone to love her, but now I know that it was all for me. Because I was willing to listen and act on a prompting, my life was tremendously blessed. Her friendship and council and support and love has given me so much. Today on her birthday I want to thank her for accepting me and my family into her life. She means the world to me.

Happy Birthday, Bev! I wish I was there in person to give you a big hug and take you out for lunch.. the Black Angus sounds so much yummier than the bland spaghetti my family will be eating for dinner :) Hope you have a great day and know that know that you are loved by so many.