Happy birthday, Chel!

Today is the birthday of my wife’s (Mandy) best friend, and one of my best friends, too. It’s no secret that Mike and I are add-ons in our “double-date” friendship. But, it’s also no secret that Mike and I feel honored to love and be loved by such amazing women whose birthdays are one day apart.

Yesterday was Mandy’s birthday, and it was a very special one as all of us were given a gift this year. Mandy’s been dealing with some pretty major medical issues since the first of February. While we’re not out of the water just yet, Mandy’s had a significant turnaround in the past two weeks. Her recovery has been so great we plan to see about having her previous diagnosis reevaluated.

Chel and I (and plenty of others) have been greatly worried about her for the last couple of months. It seemed every week things got worse for her - sometimes every day. Through it all, Chel has stood beside me (from thousands of miles away) and helped me hurt and reason and survive through this ordeal. But that’s no surprise to those who know Chel, even those who only know her through her blog.

Like most anyone, Chel takes shortcuts just about any time she can. However, one place you’ll never see her take the easy way out is her relationships. Chel doesn’t know how to have casual friendships. If she cares about you, she’s all in.

She has a strength that is so automatic and everyday that she can’t even acknowledge its existence. She bubbles over with a kindness and a genuine concern for others that is infectious. She’s a fabulous mama, an amazing wife and an unbelievable friend. All who care to know her are made better for their effort.

Happy birthday, Chel.

Josh, you are so sweet. Thank you so much. You made me cry… in a good way.