For Cheryl

In January 2000 I started working at a scrapbook store in Calgary, almost 6 months to the day after Kaedo was born. A sweet clerk taught me the ropes, worked with me and quickly became one of my dearest friends. I remember the days when Craig would come barreling into the store, Kaedo in his car seat and Sterling by the hand, informing me that "time for your break, Kaedo needs to be fed". Never did she judge me, she just chuckled, sent me to the back classroom and covered while I nursed my tiny baby.

Over the years we spent time together at work and outside of it. We shopped together, quilted together, scrapbooked together, had dinner and went to the movies. All the while working and raising our families.

When I moved across the country 3.5 years later, she threw me a wonderful surprise going away party and wished me all the the best for my new life.  For quite a few years we stayed in contact, and I even had the opportunity to host her here for a long weekend, where we laughed and cried and took a trip to Niagara Falls and crossed the border and spent so much the border guards charged us duty. I visited and spent time with her when I returned to Alberta and as always our conversations resumed as if they had never ended.

Over the years we lost contact and a sadness for my lost friend settled in my heart. I started searching for her. There were so many things I wanted to tell her.

As a non-lover of Facebook, but after running out of ideas, I started searching for her there. She was nowhere to be found. Then I thought of her daughter, and about four months ago I sent her a message, explaining who I was and that I wanted to get in contact with her mom. I never heard from her. I feared my friend had died. Why she would have, who knows, but all I could think was that for some reason I was getting no response. We had not fought or ended our relationship. I was stumped.

Then yesterday I get a message from her sweet daughter telling me she had come across my message and that she had spoken to her mom and she gave me her contact info.

It was seriously the best thing to ever come out of Facebook. EVER. Within a minute of the message I was writing to my friend, telling her about my family and trying to find the words to express how very much I wanted her in my life. So I waited, and waited and nothing. Then this morning, a reply. One of the best emails I have received in years.

The one thing that stood out for me was that even after all these years, she still reads the blog.

So, Cheryl, this is for you. You were the best friend I ever had. You are kind, generous and amazing and I am so happy we have re-connected. I look so forward to the many more emails and the day we finally talk on the phone again. Maybe one day we will see each other and get to laugh and joke and I will just be able to hug you again and tell you I've missed you.

I love you my friend - lets never lose touch again!