Friends are Priceless...But Some are Worth Even More.

Today I was reminded of just how important my oldest and dearest friend Jennifer is to me.
She was my next door neighbor growing up.
She visited me in the hospital the very day I was born.
She went on family vacations with me.
She spent every single day at my house (or vice versa)

She gave me the chicken pox.

Today she gave me a gift that I honestly don't believe I will ever be able to repay.
Have you ever had something so valuable, personally valuable, lost forever?

I did.

Today I got a call from Jenny. She wanted to meet for coffee as she was passing by my house on her way to the ferry. She had something to give me.

She told me it was something that had belonged to me. She said "remember when you moved and you had people come in and paint?" I remember vividly moving from my childhood home. So I said yes.

It seems we had left behind a few items that the painters and carpet guys tossed out. One of those items caught my neighbors eye.

She at 13, pulled it from the trash, cleaned it then lovingly placed it in her hope chest to give to me.
It's been 23 years.
Today she gave it to me.

23 years ago she found a quilt. Not just any quilt. A hand sewn quilt. The very last one my 96 year old Great Grandmother ever made. She had made it for me and I cherished it then even when she was still alive.

Today, I would have given my weight in gold to have it back. You see, my Gram died at the same time we moved from that home. I knew the quilt was lost. We assumed it had been lost in the move but never placed where.

When I was pregnant with my daughter I cried to my husband how I wished I had that quilt.
A small piece of my sweet, intelligent Irish, Great Grandmother. Whom I adored with all my heart.

Thanks to my oldest and dearest friend, I have it back.

Someone else would have thought we meant to toss it out. Not Jenny. She knows me to well. She knew better. She knew how important that piece of cloth was to me. That is a true friend...no, that is family.

Thank you Jenny. I am truly blessed to have you in my life and I always have been. I love you my dear friend.

Thank You.