"Friendship Isn't About Who You Have Known The Longest, But Those Who Came And Never Left Your Side"

Received with great honor and humility from:

"Ces And Her Dishes"

Quercus shumardii or Shumard Oak

Dear readers, as you most have figured out by this point, there is little that leaves me speechless. I always have something to say---right, wrong, amusing, stupid, moments when the mouth goes far faster than the brain and the result ends up here. Therefore, the other evening when I received a comment from Ces to go to her blog to pick up an award, I was more than a little stunned. Ces is a phenomenal artist and extremely prolific and I have been blessed with meeting her here in the blogosphere. She is so prolific in her work, both as a nurse and artist, I'm not sure she sleeps........ ;-)

To learn the real significance of the award I highly encourage you to read her whole post; just click on her beautiful drawing and it will take you there. And you also need to read about Deborah, for whom the award is named, as she is a pillar of strength. I still need to comment on her blog, but being married to the military, my heart ached so when I saw photos of her sending her son, in the Army (where I grew up), off to war. I can't touch that right now. My husband has done media escort on med-evacs out of Baghdad, and I know what the risk is for our soldiers, and the strength it requires to be family here at home.

The award is about true friendship, of not leaving when the going gets rough. To quote Ces:

"Loyal friends regardless of race, creed, political affiliations and geography. Here, I honor womanhood and friendship and there is nothing more wondrous a blessing for anyone than for a friend who came and never left your side."

And I have discovered that more than once this year, when days were long after surgery, when I was not doing well, when cards and letters and gifts and e-mails and comments came from my blog-friends. I know what friends are.....I am blessed.

So now I have to pass this on, to truly loyal friends who have stood by me despite how long we have or have not known each other.

However, I have two male friends that have done the same on my blog and in my life, and I am hoping Ces will forgive me for being the *sturdy unbending oak* that I am and include them also in my list, as they have been as honest and faithful and as humorous as my girlfriends. (guys, that's the highest compliment you could get!)

And so.............I start..........in no particular order.

Mary Helen

Lynn

Audrey

Pam

Jean

Teri

Georgina

Linda

Gayle

Vicki

Tammy

Leslie

And my two male friends without whom I could not function, who support me like the grand oak pictured in the award:

Tristan

who very much helped me start this blog

made me laugh way too much,

encouraging me all along the way,

and to

Tallboy

who is my spiritual guide & center,

my common sense when I have none,

and like my family I

grew up with.

To all of you; thank you, bless you, know that you are being recognized for what you freely give of your hearts to others and may you feel that joy in return.

You are truly FRIENDS.

Now pass this on to your friends, those who fit the bill, who are there for you no matter what and know they always will be.

I bid you all, most sincerely......

In spiritu humilitatis, Pax.