Friendship is hard.

Actually, people are hard, am I right?

Interacting with other people and forming relationships is hard.

(Maybe my slight introvert tendencies are showing.)

This being said, friendship means to feel a close relationship with a friend.

Sometimes we think friendship is about giggles and jokes and similar interests, and I think that is part of it, but that is only one piece of the puzzle.

Friendship is also about details.

I have a great friend named Lacey. Only about a year ago we became friends through our interest in (which developed into a love for) yoga. From there we have gone on many adventures including stand up paddleboarding, trips to KC, obsessive ice skating, rock climbing and many other semi-adventurous things.

I love it.

And one of my favorite things is getting to be with Lacey during it all. We have even established more solid friendships through our activities. (Shoutout to Nichole!)

I love getting in the car at least 3 times a week with Lacey and pouring out my day, the good, the bad, and the indescribable.

When I started taking ice skating lessons, Lacey committed to coming to my practices. She literally gets up and gets to the rink at 10 a.m. every Saturday, not to skate for herself, but to sit up in the little box and watch me have lessons like a mom would.

Have you ever heard of a more dedicated friend? A more selfless person? There is nothing in it for her. She holds so much love for me and our friendship that she just shows up.

I love people who show up. She totally does.

Not only does she show up, but she pays attention.

For a Christmas gift, Lacey gave me a sweet little bag of random things including some of my most favorite and obscure items:

Temporary tattoos (my most recent obsession.)

An "Ad Astra Per Aspera" sticker (because of my favorite holiday, Kansas Day.)

Cute pencils (because I love real wooden pencils.)

Yummy smelling soap (because smells. Yes.)

And a cute little bag (because you can never have too many tiny bags.)

She shows up for me, and she pays attention. She listens and takes mental notes of what I like.

What a friend!

Friendship is hard, but sometimes you may catch a good one to go on adventures, obsess over medical terminology and diseases, and discuss Rob Bell with.

And then there is Nichole. I haven't known Nichole for very long, but upon my first interaction, everything within me said, "I must be friends with her."

We both have (no longer secret) loving relationships with our childhood blankies. She enjoys ice skating, as do I.

And she tries new things. She is kind and she is the perfect amount of vulnerable.

She is also great at making funny voices and creating characters on long car rides.

My initial reaction to Nichole was spot on. She is a gem.

Friendship is hard, and new friendship can be awkward, but sometimes you may catch a good one to chat about life with, talk about blankies, and let it go with a large helping of humor.

Friends like these make it all worth it. Friends like these are friends to be thankful for and love on for how much value they have inherently as fellow image bearers.

Thanks be to God.