I met Annalisa and Greg during a very dark time in my life, I was struggling with depression because I was struggling with infertility and I didn't know how to deal with it, who to talk to or how much to share. I don't even remember how we met or how we connected, but I know that Annalisa was meant to be here in Chicago during that exact time. I'm sure it wasn't just for me, but I am just as sure that it was an answer to my prayers.
We shared everything about fertility and the lack of it. We talked about trials and struggles, we talked long hours in her driveway after YW meetings. We shared recipes and planned activities together. She served as my counselor when I was the YW President and when I was released I knew that she was the perfect person to take my place. She loved those amazing girls every bit as much as I did.
Several years later, I was over the moon excited when she announced that they were pregnant with twins, and it didn't even hurt my heart that it wasn't me because I knew how much it meant to them and how much they had struggled. They were born just a few weeks before they graduated from medical school and moved away from here. I am grateful for the "unexpected" trip to help them move to Kalamazoo so I could spend a few more hours with them!! {that is a really fun story!!}
They moved again to Virginia, Greg finished school {finally, am I right?}, are now back in Utah, and just bought their first house. YAY!!!! I was SO, SO excited that we were able to work it out so that I could take their pictures while I was in Utah. I got to see those cute twin boys, who I haven't seen since they were just weeks old. I got to meet their newest son who I've never met and I got to see how grown up their oldest daughter is.
Annalisa and Greg, I don't know if you know how much your friendship and example have meant to me over the years. I don't know if you know how much of an impact you had on me all those years ago. I don't know if you know that all those nights of talking about infertility were the healing balm to my broken heart. I don't know if you know that you were one of the first people I called when I found out my mom had cancer, because I knew that you knew how I felt. I knew that you understood, and I knew that you would know what to say and what to do, because you had been there.
Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for me, for loving me and for supporting me all these years. I am so grateful that I get to call you my friends.
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