So I don't post very often on this thing at all...shame on me, considering I have a lot more time on my hands since I only work and don't go to school anymore...but anyway, that's beside the point. I want to share about a person that is near and dear to my heart and is about to make a pretty big life change, so hopefully she will get to read this and know that it comes from the heart. I know that a lot of people can claim to have several best friends, I have found this to be true in my life simply because I keep up with a lot of people (or at least try to) so I would say I have several best friends. However, there has been one who has stuck by my side through thick and thin, through long distance and right down the street, through rain and shine, etc. etc. Her name is Stacie Lynne Homeyer.
When I first met Stacie, we were in 1st grade at Lake Country Christian School. She had just moved to Fort Worth from Nebraska, her dad was a pilot, her mom was a teacher (just like my mom) and we became instant friends. Stacie would claim that my "signature thing" from when we were growing up was the big bows my mom used to always put in my hair (but really, what 8 year old has a signature anything?) Anyway, we would play on the playground together and always included other people in our adventures (we continue to do that today.) That's one of the things I love about Stacie--she is so great at including everyone, even the awkward people that no one can understand. I learned that from her especially once we got into middle school, the awkward phases when people are figuring out their bodies, emotions and acne. Stacie always sought out the people who were sitting alone at a table or who felt excluded by being picked last in a kick ball game. She was never afraid to say, "hey, let's all play this together" (or something to that effect.)
One of the things I remember most about her in middle school was how we went to church together every Wednesday night. Her church was awesome and I loved having a friend to go with, so we did that together which only helped our friendship grow. Something that she probably doesn't remember much but that I have very fond memories of was when we made a singing group called the Criztals (yes, its spelled with a Z because we thought we were cool back then) We even made a recording of the classic kids church song "Pharaoh, Pharaoh," hand motions and all. We even had an older sister be our manager, oh how we had such big dreams...
Speaking of middle school, specifically the summer before 8th grade, was the year that I was in a boating accident. Her church had a lake day, and we decided it would be fun to go and it was conveniently very close to my house. We were having a good time and it was our groups turn to go on the banana boats. Stacie had a lot of other friends at the church, so I didn't get to sit behind her on the banana boat, and I was very sad about that and I (regretfully) sat as close to her as I could, infringing on the girls space in front of me, but I didn't care because I wanted to be close to my best friend. The boat started going and we hit a big wave and I don't remember much after that...I remember waking up in her mom's car with a bag of ice on face, feeling that two of my teeth had been knocked back into my mouth, still attached. I was so close to the girl in front of me that her head came back and hit me in the face--how's that for trying to sit close? So they called my parents and long story short, I had to have a wire put on my teeth and a few root canals...but the thing I remember was that Stacie came to see me the next day after it happened and had an I love lucy card, back when those singing cards had first come out, and it sang a funny little song and said get better...I tell that specific story just to demonstrate how much of a friend Stacie was, because she would also call almost every day to check in on me since she couldn't drive herself to come see me, we were only 13 after all.
Then came high school, which had its ups and downs, dealing with jealousy of each other having boyfriends or getting a role in a musical or play or getting a better grade on a test. It became about comparison with each other, and one thing I've been taught over the years is that comparison is the thief of joy (so true!) and we experienced that the hard way. I compared myself to her a lot, and I don't know if she even knew I was doing it because I was really good about covering it up. Being the overachiever that I was in high school, I'm sure she had times of comparison too. I would put myself in literally anything I had time for, no matter how packed my schedule was. Looking back now, I have no idea how I managed to still have a social life and get good grades, but the Lord knew how much I could handle. He also knew that I would need a best friend to help through all of that. So despite our comparison of each other, we put that aside and chose to stay besties (not to say there werent hard times, but we always worked through them and figured them out together.) And we were able to enjoy high school with our other friends, as well as making time for each other.
Of course, we went to 2 totally different colleges, her to Azusa Pacific in LA, California, and me to OU in Norman, Oklahoma...and despite that distance, we were still able to maintain a "bestie" status with one another. That was the thing that truly tested our friendship though, being able to see each other when we were home for holidays, catching up on skype or on the phone, and writing occasionally to one another just for a check up. We went through different classes, dated different guys, studied 2 different majors and realized the different gifts God had given each of us as well as taught us new things about ourselves.
I know that I have merely scratched the surface of what all we went through in our friendship with each other, but she really knows me. She knows my fears, my dreams, my hurt, my joy and oh so much more. She has been a faithful presence in my life and I don't know how I would've made it from first grade to now without her. She is wise beyond her years, she understands me when I fail to tell a story right, she is forgiving, she is beautiful inside and out, she has constantly pushed me toward the Lord my whole life and has always been a great encourager, she is an excellent listener especially when I call her at 2 in the morning her time, she's the best new years eve date ever (we spent many a new years together), she's so much fun to be around, she's a wonderful accountability partner (which she would deny) and she has a beautiful heart...and on top of all of that, she is marrying her other best friend this weekend and I am so excited and happy for the both of them and know that the Lord is going to do awesome things in and through them both. He may be her other half, but I get the lucky role of being her best friend for life. Stacie, I will always cherish our friendship and encourage you the best way I can. Know that you can call me any time day or night to laugh, to cry or just to have a good conversation. You have been such an important part of my life and I can't wait to see what happens in these next few years for the both of us! I love you bestie!
All that to say, make sure your best friend knows that you appreciate them. I know there have been times when I've taken her for granted and that makes me sad, but I hope she knows now how much she means to me.
Cheers!
~Amber
