We were in California on a family vacation when I got the text from my beautiful friend Audrey.
A few short weeks earlier, her sweet eight-month-old baby boy went home to live with our Father in heaven.
I told her that if I could make it to his celebration of life, I would absolutely be there. What I didn’t tell her though, is that this week alone, we would be in California on a long time planned vacation for the 4th of July, Wyoming for my husband‘s grandpa‘s funeral, and Florida for a Disneyworld retreat with my team for two days, and a Beachbody conference for three days.
When she texted me to tell me when the service would be held, I knew I could go.
I knew it would be absolutely crazy to throw in visiting one more state on top of everything else we’re already doing this week (CA, NV, UT, WY, and FL… all in one week! And technically AZ too since we would be driving through there! Is that a world record with 3 kids?
🤪 5 states in one week? (They won’t be with us in FL)).
When I was contemplating whether or not I should go, my mind was filled with these lyrics: “You find out who your friends are. Somebody’s gonna drop everything, run out and crank up their car, hit the gas, get there fast, they don’t stop to think ‘what’s in it for me,’ or ‘it’s way too far,’ they just show on up, with their big old heart. You find out who your friends are.”
This girl is one of my best friends. We taught kindergarten together before I was a mom, but then life happened. I stopped teaching kindergarten, became a work-from-home stay-at-home mom, and I moved to another state. But I knew that I still considered her to be one of my very best friends. It wasn’t until her sweet Boden passed away, that I realized how mutual the feeling still was.
She called me to tell me about his passing, and I was deeply impressed that she took the time to call me about it at all. I asked her how many more people she had to call, and she told me that I was the first one she had called. That meant the world to me. And helped me realize that yes, the feeling is definitely mutual. She is still one of my very best friends.
So when the lyrics of this country song by Tracy Lawrence entered my mind, I knew exactly what I would do. I would drop everything. I would run out and crank up my car. I would hit the gas. I would get there fast with all three of my kids, without Blake since he had to work. Even though we had just arrived home from California the day before. Even though we would have to leave at 4 AM from our home to make it in time for the service. Even though we were going to Wyoming, and Florida, in just a few days. Even though my to-do list was a mile long. I never stopped to think what was in it for me. Or that it was way too far. I just committed to showing up with my big old heart. Just like the song says. Because I am her friend.
As my kids and I were driving to Utah super early on Tuesday (and they were AMAZING by the way), I was filled with the Spirit, knowing that I was indeed following the mind and will of God. He asked us to feed His lambs, and feed His sheep. My family and me are going to two different places this weekend alone. My laundry needs to be done. I need to pack for two different vacations back to back, nine days in a row being gone, we have no food in our fridge, I need to record two podcast episodes to make up for the time we’ve been gone, and a new Beachbody program launched this week. But as I drove to Utah, I had zero sense of overwhelm (which is one of my default settings naturally, although I am working on it, and definitely finding ways to improve.).
I knew that I was doing the right thing.
I knew that as I listened to the Lord, and committed to feeding one of His sheep, one of my best friends, that He would take care of me.
I knew that as I listened to the Lord, and committed to feeding one of His sheep, one of my best friends, that He would take care of me...and He did.
And He did.
We were able to make it to Utah in less than five hours with three kids. Me driving by myself. That in and of itself was a miracle.
I didn’t get any of my two workouts in for 75 Hard before I left, because I wanted to get as much sleep as possible so that I could drive safely.
Because we made it to Utah so quickly, I had three hours to kill before the service. So we stopped at one of my coach friend’s houses, and we were able to work out together! And our kids had plenty of time to play together.
My kids and I enjoyed the day. We enjoyed the service, we were present for all of it, my kids were absolute troopers even though their sleep had been so thrown off. We even got to visit my mom and one cousin!
When the day was winding down, and I still had yet to read 10 pages and do my last 45-minute workout outside. It was 10:45 at night after waking up at 3:30 in the morning, and I somehow still had the energy to do the things that I needed to do. It was day 65 of 75 Hard after all, no turning back now.
This experience was a beautiful reminder for me of what truly matters in life. Family. Friends. God. When we prioritize what matters most, everything else just seems to fall by the wayside. And we still feel fulfilled. Maybe my laundry won’t be quite as folded, my house not quite as clean, this Beachbody launch maybe won’t be my most successful, but it doesn’t matter. Because I listened to God. I was there for my friend. God was there for me. And my heart is so very full.
