Priceless Friendships and Growing Up

Today, after a very deep conversation, a very real, very personal conversation with my close friends, I made a realization.

We have all grown up so much; for the first time in my life, today, I felt like an adult. I felt like all of us had become adults. We were discussing personal, difficult, deep topics without being offensive, being offended, or getting upset. We were respectful, able to see different sides. We were grown women having a grown-up conversation.

I realized today that we have all turned out to be pretty amazing women. It is an honor and a pleasure to be friends with such beautiful, independent, kind-hearted women. I just feel so strongly about today.

I am thankful today for a special group of friends who let me know in so many precious, priceless ways that they have not forgotten my Kylie, and that they have not forgotten me and my pain.

Today, I was told some things that I have a hard time feeling about myself, but I thought I would share them in writing. Maybe it will help me believe in myself more.

I was told:
1.) You are stronger than I could ever be; you are the strongest woman I know, and I admire you for that.
2.) You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’re doing better than you give yourself credit for.
3.) You are allowed to grieve in your own way.
4.) It’s okay to talk about your child; we ALL talk about our children.
5.) You aren’t bringing attention to yourself when you talk about Kylie; you are bringing attention to KYLIE.

I just have to tell everyone that I am so grateful for the blessings these people have brought in my life, both old friends and new. Today, as I cried with my friends for the first time in a long time, as I opened up to them about my feelings, my fears, my emotions… I felt so raw again in my grief, but I also felt comfort… comfortable sharing my story, my feelings, and like everyone in the room hurt for me just as badly as I hurt for my Kylie. They may not understand the depth of the pain, but they understand the fact that I hurt, and they understand that my need to talk about Kylie, and they understand how badly I need them.


For my special friends, I am truly thankful. I am so lucky to have people in my life who love me, my children, and my husband. I am thankful to have friends that I consider FAMILY . I could not have made it through the past 16 months without them by my side… and I just don’t know what I’d do without them.

Thank you, sweet friends, for being there for me, for loving me, and for being a part of my life. Thank you for showing me that Kylie is near and dear to all of your hearts, and that she is just as important as any of your living children. Thank you for showing me love and kindness, and for accepting me as I am. Thank you for reminding me that I am real, I am human, and I am entitled to be imperfect. Thank you for being my rocks and shoulders to lean on. Thank you for being you. THANK you for everything.