Happy 23rd Birthday, Tricia! -

Happy 23rd Birthday, Tricia!!! 

There. I've got that unextraordinary saying out of the way. Now on to the very unextrodinary that is Tricia....

"You are born in the month of Thankfulness!!....how perfect!"
I exclaimed this morning as I facetimed her in my jammies and wild hair at 8:30am.
She, on the other hand, looked: amazing. She was dropping mini marshmallows into her hot cocoa
and a little boy came racing up in a towel to be cuddled and get "one of dose.". 

She tackles Motherhood with bravery. With honest words. With humility.

Watching her transform from "Cody's girlfriend" at the State fair
 to "Cody's wife" (sitting on his lap at their wedding reception and kissing every 10 minutes)
to "Cody's wife/Mother of 2 boys" has been....wonderful. Beautiful. Filled with laughter.

But mostly, it has taught me that the call to live faithfully is so important, and Tricia has done it so well. 

I'm challenged by Tricia, and I'm not even a wife & mother yet! 

She holds bountiful grace in her heart. 

She's going to probably shrug almost all of this blog post off, saying I'm "too sweet & too kind". 

But I'm not. I'm saying what I know. 

And what I know is that best heart friends like Tricia are so so rare, and I'm so blessed to know her.

She is kind, sweet, precious, rare, special, joyful, thoughtful, hilarious, teasing, gentle, sensitive,
loving, fun, generous, loyal, doting, strong, brave, funny and beloved by all. 

We text in the night sometimes. To rant about how much we hate cancer. Just one line. Immediate prayers. 

"Tricia", I told Emily years ago "....holds her heart in her eyes, and she feels, thinks, sees. It's all in her eyes." 

She's listened and talked me through so many hard times, 

she's held me for long minutes of aching sobbing in grief,

she's looked past the goofiness and joking of light conversation,

she's seen me too quiet in the kitchen and slipped her arm around my waist,

and pulled me away to talk. "Jean....tell me.". 

She's taken a look at me, then looked again, and pulled me in and wouldn't let me go. 

She sees more than most of the world in a single glance. She is a safe place for me. :)

It's one of the reasons my heart is in my eyes when I'm with her too. 

And why JOY and laughter are so unbelievably more hilarious when I'm with her. 

I've cried laughing with her (and Emily, we are all quite the trio when we're together) so much. 

Laughter means SO MUCH, and I'm grateful for every moment I can spend with Tricia. 

Tricia took our Christmas picture this year at Barberville (really super quick in the hot heat!), 

and I wanted a pic with Tricia. Almost ALL of the pics are of me cracking up because she is so hysterical. 

This exhibits us SO WELL. Hahahahaha. 

Tricia, my "heart in your eyes" friend. My encourager and supporter. My friend and confidant. 

My prayer warrior in the night and during the hard times. My friend that walks faithfully through the joy and the hard. 

You are an immeasurable blessing to me, and I love you so very much. 

Happy 23rd Birthday!!! Life is so much better with you in it, and I always thank God for you. 

Here's to sooo many more wonderful and laughter filled memories with you. 

With much love,

~ Jean Marie ~