Smyles00

Nikki is my best friend. That term gets thrown around a lot these days, but Nik really is. She has always been the constant in my life, my voice of reason, the person I look up to, the big sister I always wanted. When I think that Christmas means I have known them for 6 years it doesn't seem possible. Sunday was my 6 year wedding anniversary and I kept thinking "wow it's been so long." And yet when I think about Bo and Nik it just doesn' seem like it's been enough time. I feel like she has always been there. When I talk about her to other people sometimes I'll slip up and say "I have known her my whole life." And yet I haven't! I even remember the day we met. She was our apartment manager, and our dishwasher broke. So she came over to wait for the repairman. He came and went, and 9 hours later we were still sitting on my living room floor talking about everything we could think of.
And after that we would have the best BBQ's. Her brother in law would come home after a few weeks away for work, and he would buy steak and shrimp and let them marinade for a few days. Then we would all gather at Nik's house and she would make Suddenly Salad and I would make mashed potato's, and we would eat and play drinking games till we couldn't stand anymore.
Nik has always been the best person to talk to. She REALLY listens. And she makes jokes at all the right places. The craziest thing about Nik is how gorgeous she is. And she doesn't even know it!! And when she puts on makeup and does her hair she is such a knock out.
And when they got back from their baby makin trip and she was pregnant, we all joked about bad timing since she had just discovered mai tais.
Just a few months later, when she called and told me she had misscarried, I had moved 2000 miles away. All I could do was leave early from work and cry with her over the phone.
It seemed like such a bizarre twist when she got pregnant again and then I followed 3 months later. I wasn't scared at all. Why would I be? My best friend was helping me get through it.
It's really hard now that she has had another baby. I really thought I would be there for it. I kept thinking about how cool it would be to hold her hand while she pushed. And then look at Bo and say what a beautiful baby we have. I feel like I am missing a piece of me knowing that my sister has this little mini her and I have never held her at all. I didn't get to spend a few weeks and do laundry and cook dinner and help out like a real family does. And it KILLS ME! Cause Nik is my family.
The cool thing is how sometimes we will go a month or so without talking. And yet we always pick right back up like no time has past. I love that she loves her family even though they do the dumbest things sometimes. She totally gets it when I whine about my psycho family.
Friends you pick. Family you are stuck with. Sometimes you are lucky enough to have your family as your close friends. But when that doesn't work out, God makes sure you are surrounded by the family you choose.
I picked my family. And I count myself as being very lucky.