I am honoured to get to write about one of the most wise, amazing and resilient women I know. I visited Leslie in her beautiful home this morning; the first time I had been there in....well, while I'm not exactly sure, it had been over ten years, for sure. I hadn't seen Les in over six. She had sent me a photo Christmas card last year with a short message about how she wished our lives were "lived a little closer together". I remember wishing the same thing. I'm guilty to report that it took my hearing about some challenging circumstances happening with her family (this is an understatement) for me to properly get back in touch.
While the intent of this post is not to headline the struggles Les and her family are facing, I do want to briefly put it out there, as many of you will know Leslie and will want to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. I also know she is open to sharing the story. Currently, their eldest daughter, Maddie, is battling cancer following the removal of tumours from her brain. This is on top of Maddie's autism diagnosis several years back, as well as other serious health matters for Leslie herself, and one of their twin daughters too. If you would like to know more about Maddie's courageous fight (she is a smart, talented and overall AMAZING girl!) please, follow this link to her story. (Finding the first Journal entry - a few pages back - will reset the story of her journey back to the beginning. Huh - I had never connected the words Journal and Journey together until right now...)
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maddiefriesen/journal
Thinking about Leslie (and her family: Dave, Maddie, Nate, Sally and Ella) I almost don't know where to begin or what details to share. There are so many. And they're all wonderful details as they are all wonderful people. Seriously. I walked into their big, beautiful kitchen this morning to realize Dave's same, smiling face and upbeat persona (he likes to point out a few of his grey hairs but, honestly who would ever notice, it's his infectious nature that is most present. It's Les' nature too.) It was only 9am and she had already baked homemade scones, prepared a huge bowl of strawberries and was ready to decorate my coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream. (I accepted!)
Dave left for the hospital while, over the next three hours (which flew by), Leslie I and caught up by reminiscing old times and about common friends. I got to meet her other three children (all fantastic people) and, when the time was all said and done, left in awe that she had been more sincerely interested to hear about my vanilla life considering everything she must have on her mind at all times!
Les and I went to the same high school but only knew each other as acquaintances. It wasn't until my second year of teaching that we were paired together on a grade six team at an Airdrie middle school. Thus began a relationship that was the root of so many others (I have already written about Diane, Brandi, Sarah....all people I became connected to because of Leslie and, of course, there are many, many more!) We taught together for 4 years until she and Dave successfully adopted Maddie. During that time, though, she connected me to Country Hills Community Church. And while that particular church has since merged with another, and I no longer attend, it all culminated in being an extremely significant eight years of my life. Leslie was the foundation and I am forever grateful for all the experiences and people who have contributed to my repertoire of who I am today.
Leslie is a beautiful person, through and through. She is gorgeous on the outside but this extends a thousand-fold to the inside. She would literally do anything for anyone. She is genuinely interested in everyone! She has an amazing faith and is so matter-of-fact and open when she talks about it. Everything about her is natural. I admire all of these traits and would love to emulate more of them.
I did have to laugh, when reading a recent journal post Les wrote now that Maddie's home for a stint, where she called herself that "good-enough-girl" (in reference to being worried about sterilizing items needed for Maddie's care). This might be the one definite thing we have in common. I love that it describes her because if Les can get away with being a good-enough-girl then that gives me all the more ammunition to continue! (I write this for the benefit of my perfectionist husband who cannot stand that I subscribe to, "Sometimes good is good enough, Derek!")
It's unfortunate that tough times are often the ones to reunite friends. Blessed am I that our reunion leaves me overflowing with the memories of wonderful times and the inspiration of incredible people.
I did have to laugh, when reading a recent journal post Les wrote now that Maddie's home for a stint, where she called herself that "good-enough-girl" (in reference to being worried about sterilizing items needed for Maddie's care). This might be the one definite thing we have in common. I love that it describes her because if Les can get away with being a good-enough-girl then that gives me all the more ammunition to continue! (I write this for the benefit of my perfectionist husband who cannot stand that I subscribe to, "Sometimes good is good enough, Derek!")
It's unfortunate that tough times are often the ones to reunite friends. Blessed am I that our reunion leaves me overflowing with the memories of wonderful times and the inspiration of incredible people.
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