Dear Friends and Family,

This letter or posting… whatever you would like to call it, is truly for you today. Time is whirling by, and can’t believe that it’s already mid September! Its been nearly 80 days since that fateful day in July. The day that my own heart stopped beating, and my new life took over.

My pastor just gave an AMAZING sermon on friendship last weekend, and if you have the time I encourage you all to listen here titled Maximize Your Friendships.

It reminded me that I have to thank you all. Not just a general thank you, though this probably does seem pretty general, but a real honest, bottom of my heart thank you!

You have all been absolutely amazing. Some of you dropped everything you were currently doing to help take care of Kiki, or transport her to us… you showed up to the hospital or services with a needed smile, a nod of understanding and a warm hug, and have continued to be there for me and my family with words of encouragement, and getting together to talk and have some wine on the deck.

You’ve known when to come close, and stay far from the subject when you sense it is too much for my emotions that day or moment. I swear I have bi-polar when it comes to what I want. I want to talk non-stop about my dad and choke on my words about how sad it makes me and let the tears fall from my face, and at the same time I don’t want to talk about it at all. Perhaps not talking about it helps me forget that it actually happened. Perhaps talking about it makes me feel so much closer to him so that it feels as though he’s not so far away.

Thank you all so much for meeting me where I am at the moment where our lives intersect at the moment they intersect. Some days I am miserably sad, and other days I’m the most joyful Lindsey you’ve seen. You seem to know and get what I need. I do still need all of you. Your presence makes me feel so loved, and I am so lucky to have you in my life. Every hug you give, or even your own thoughts and prayers on your own time are felt. Truly. Your words of encouragement to me be it on my blog post, in a text, on Facebook or even a call is not overlooked, but cherished deeply. I feel myself literally being lifted up by all of you.

As Paul states to the Thessalonians in 5:17, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” you are building me up. You are encouraging me, and building me up.

I can only hope that someday I can return the favor to you as well. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It feels so good to be loved, and thought about, and cared after.