Oh Molly. Molly claims I didn’t like her when we first met, but I still think (and will always think) this is a lie. Molly and I also met right before I started MC and she is also apart of the aforementioned Friendgroup. We met at a mutual friend’s house right after I got back from summer missions. We realized we wanted to be friends when we re-met at MC a few weeks later. She was in charge of transfer ministry at MC, and I was a transfer. We probably couldn’t have been more different on the exterior at the time. I had a nose ring, some hideous unnatural hair color, wore skirts over jeans and sweat bands as bracelets, and had a recent first tattoo. Molly was (and is) a classic southern belle – red lipstick, clean cut, and a fan of polos. I always joke that I have no idea why her mom let her be friends with me, but she did, and even liked me! Molly and I are listed on Facebook as sisters, and this is a pretty accurate title for the role she plays in my life. We too have been friends since 2003 for 12+ years. There is probably no one in my life who has truly had to love me through the good, BAD, and UGLY like she has. Major emphasis on the bad and ugly.

Molly and her entire family are beautiful inside and out! She without question has always loved and accepted me with open arms, but her family has also always extended the same kindness and I can’t write this post without writing about them too! When we were in college, I got to go on family vacation with them to the mountains several times. Throughout college her mom always included me in family pictures when I was around, her dad treated me like I was one of his girls, and her littler sister also became one of my best friends!

After college when a lot of hard things happened for me and I found myself not having anywhere to go for Christmas, her family took me in and lavished love on me just like I was one of them! The kindness and love they showed me far outweighs any other memory from that Christmas (and most Christmases!). I don’t think for a minute that Christmas is about presents, but… I got more presents for Christmas that year than I’ve ever gotten!

Mr. Jamie (dad) has fixed my car and checked on me more times than I can count. Susu (mom) is so nurturing, genuinely loves Jesus, and really cares about all the people in her life. Leah Frances (sister) is such a joy, has always been wise beyond her years, and is and will always be one of my heart friends. And a side note – I got to be a bridesmaid for not just Molly, but her sister too! I just can’t say enough about them! But, as much as I love them and how sacrificially loving and giving they all are, the best thing they’ve ever given me is Molly, so back to her!

Seriously, Molly loves me so fiercely you should be jealous if you don’t have a Molly haha. She believes in me. She knows every ugly thing about me and still loves me. In every bad season I’ve had in life, I’ve tried to push her away, and she just won’t leave (and this is a very good thing!). She relentlessly loved me through my darkest season of depression, called me and kept calling me until I answered no matter how many times I didn’t (which was a lot), never ceases to speak truth to me even when it’s not what I want to hear, never stops pushing me to Jesus, and always always sees the best in me.

We have a mutual respect for each other’s dislike to talk on the phone, but it’s a good thing phone companies don’t charge per text these days. It’s rare they we don’t text each other every day and multiple times a day! Sure, most days it’s about the multiple tv shows we watch, but we talk through every fear, lie, worry, joy, excitement, and silly moment too. She really is my sister. We can yell at each other and know it’s only for our own good. We only expect the best from each other and won’t let one another settle for anything less. We say the hard things. We listen to the hard things. We never give up on each other. We see the best always. We see every potential and push each other to reach it.

I’m the Christina Yang to her Meredith Grey. She’s the Lorelei to my Sookie. No matter how many moments I have where I am convinced no one likes me or wants to be my friend, I never ever doubt that Molly will always be there. She’s my go-to, she’s my constant, I know there is nothing I can ever do to make her not love me. She has been there for everything, and will continue to be there for everything. She’s the real deal. Oh and she’s also married to a pretty fantastic guy! Her hubby Shawn is very much like a brother to me, we even fight like siblings. You know your bestie married the perfect guy when your hangout times look and feel the same regardless of whether he’s there or not. I love you more than life Molly! Thanks for loving me when I deserve it, but thanks even more for loving me when I don’t.

This is part of my 31 People(s) I Love series. I’ll be writing about 31 people/peoples that I adore! Click here if you would like a list of all the posts in this series.