Friends In My Path

It seems that as I look back over the past four years there have been people placed in my path who have provided certain things at a time when they were desperately needed. Friends who have guided me to where I am now.

I started working outside of the home for the first time since having kids as a newly single divorcee in the summer of 2011. I was working as a preschool teacher at Little Wonders Learning Center and was grateful to be able to have the girls at work with me. During the first year of working there Sophia became best friends with Saige. One day we were playing at the park and Jill dropped Saige off while we were there and we started chatting. She told me she was volunteering for Relay For Life and I offered to help if she needed anything. This began a friendship at a time I needed one the most. I was vulnerable and lonely and had no idea how to navigate the waters of singlemomhood and here she was placed in my path. We did Relay with our girls, we had playdates and dinners at Angie's. She was the one who coerced me into setting up an online profile and because of her I met Aaron!

After two years I made a job change to Utah State University in the DDE center. Kathy Jo and I were co-workers, and worked with the girls in summer camp. Whenever I came into the kitchen in the mornings she was the first one to greet me and give me a huge hug. She asked me about myself and my life and we had many late night conversations on my couch talking about life and relationships.

Sister Karren is in the bright yellow

Two years ago I was called into the Relief Society presidency and got to work with Sister Karren. I learned much at the feet of this woman. I learned that no matter how big your plate seems it can always enlarge to fit everything on it that is needed as long as your priorities are in order and the "big rocks" go in first. I learned to return and report. I learned that we need to serve like our life depends on it because it does.
Penny also invited the girls and I to participate in Tarzan at the Old Barn theater and I will treasure the time I got to spend with my girls and for the "sack lunch" meals in the car on the way to rehearsal that she lovingly prepared because she knew I didn't have time to feed the girls after work.

Perhaps these women don't know how they have impacted my life, but Heavenly Father knew that I needed them and chose to send them to me for purposes in His grand design and I will forever be grateful.