Liesa-my-Liesa

I have been reading Anne of Green Gables lately with Natalie. We just finished today, actually. There are countless parts in that book that I love and that make me choked up, but one of my very favourite things about the story is the friendship between Anne and Diana. I always used to be envious of their relationship because, although I had wonderful friends who I cherished deeply, none of those friendships seemed quite as idyllic as those in the novels I was reading. Today, when I read Anne or watch Pride and Prejudice, I have the comfortable knowledge that there exists a ”Diana” to my “Anne” and a “Jane” to my “Lizzy” (of course I think of myself as the heroine.) This kindred spirit is my best friend, Liesa.

Liesa and I met eight or nine years ago at Redberry Bible Camp. We date the official start of our friendship to the night on which I accompanied her and her campers on a camp-out. We had no idea at the time how fraught with destiny that night actually was. Our late-night conversation under the stars as her campers slept in the nearby tent is still one of our favourite times about which to reminisce. Liesa lived with me and my sisters during my college years, which I think must have been quite an overwhelming experience. We shared a house again when I was teaching at VCA, and it was during that time that I realized that God had finally sent me the friend I’d been wishing for.

Liesa married Cory this past summer and I was so glad to be able to stand with her on her wedding day. We had such fun in the week leading up to the wedding. It was wonderful to be together again after being apart for the year, and I enjoyed helping her with many of the last-minute preparations for the wedding. One of my favourite memories of my time at home was the night before Liesa’s wedding, when we got to hang out, just the two of us, and squeal and giggle with excitement about what was happening the next morning, and I fixed her nail polish, and plumped her pillow, and we talked about our hopes and dreams and wishes for the future. I am so thankful that God gave me Liesa. I sure do miss you, Liese.