Everyone needs a Chelsea

{my insecurities have cost me years of friendships. it makes me sad.  i'm thankful for second chances.}


There was this one time I went to a bible study on Tuesday mornings for two hours.

Mostly I went for the two hours of free childcare.

If you think I'm kidding about that - you think wrong.

Anyway, the first day I go to this bible study was pretty uncomfortable for me.  It'd been a few years since leaving that church so everyone was really nice to me and that just made me wanna run.  Nice and all, but I wanted to jet.  Please just don't notice me.

{unless I wanna be noticed - then pay close attention}

So.  Sitting there with this group of women when in walks this tall, dark haired, thin, beautiful girl.  With the cutest baby boy on her hip whose decked out in John Deere.

And she doesn't just walk in.  She makes an entrance.

"I'm heeeerrrre!" she says in a sing songy voice.

{If you know her in real life - you can totally hear it, right?}

And I was completely appalled and fascinated at the same time.  She was beautiful.  Funny.  And super loud.

Honest to goodness this was my first thought about her, "I could never be friends with someone who would compete with my loudness."

When I'm with my group of friends or family {and I mean family on Josh's side, because the family on my side can totally rival me in loud} I tend to be the more vocal one.  Shocked, aren't you?  shud it.

Anyway.

I think I only went back to that class one other time.  Not because of her but because most of the girls in my group were dressed super cute and I wanted to hang out with women who were dressed frumpy like me.

Fast forward a few years and Candee wants me to attend a couponing class with her held by Barbie Katie not only because she wants me to learn about coupons but because apparently I need "to meet Katie and Chelsea. You'll really like them."

Suuure I would.  And I probably would.  But would they...like me?

I guess they did because for the last several months we get together on occasion (like my birfday) and email and text and they're a good time.

The deal with Chelsea though is that if you ever want to know what someone really thinks about you or a situation you're in - you call her.  Because she won't hold back.  She's not going to be all shmoopy and make you feel good.  She's going to be real and I love it about her.  Absolutely, so super thankful, love it.

I don't need a friend to BS me.  I need a friend to be real with me.  And maybe I like that about her because I try to be that way with my friends too.  {at least with the ones I feel want that from me}

I love that she can rock a pair of Wranglers.  I love that she loves beer. {whoops, can I say that?} I love that she speaks her mind.  I love her honesty.  I love her obsession with politics.  I think mostly I love that one of her sons is named after Rush Limbaugh.  I love that she's genuine.  I love that even though my kid peed on some of her furniture she didn't flip the heck out.  I love - but am so intimidated by -  how freaking smart she is.

I just really like her.

Loud as me and all.

I'm thankful for her friendship.