Dear Hodgy

Dear Ashlyn Nora-Sue Hodges aka Hodgy,

Of course I was gonna call you by your full government. That’s just how we roll. I call you by your full name because you always call me by my full name. These are just some of the little puns we throw at each other, but it’s all out of love and one of the many reasons I am grateful for you.

How did we become best friends? Well our friendship began when we took public speaking together during the spring semester of 2015 at GTCC. You sat in front of me and when we started interacting I immediately starting picking on you for your heavy country accent. You actually found all my jokes to be funny and we became classroom buddies. As we interacted more we became good friends and on the last day of class after we gave our final speeches we became best friends. I will forever be thankful for that day.

Friend is often a word that people throw around too loosely. Because if this, many people don’t know what a true friend looks like, but I have you so I definitely know what a true friend looks like. Having a best friend like Ashlyn Hodges is truly a blessing. You go have always been here for me, one way or another. When I was going through my hard times you became the human diary I could talk to and gave me a word of encouragement to lift my spirit. You also kept me in your prayers and that is what I am most thankful for because in doing so you led me down the path of bettering myself.

On my birthday in 2017 you and your family came to visit me and you even invited me to come to church with you that morning. Initially I didn’t wanna join you, but on the next Sunday I did go with you to church and that Sunday changed my life. I had only planned on going that one Sunday, but after you introduced me to your church family, one Sunday became two. Then two Sundays became a month and from there your church family had become my extended family.

I don’t think you’ll ever understand the good you brought into my life by helping me get back in church. Being my best friend you of course know a lot about my mother and how church and having a relationship with The Lord was important her. After she died I had only been going to church occasionally, but thanks to you church has become a regular basis part of my life, just like my mother always wanted.

You also introduced me to an amazing group of people who came in my life and stayed just as you did, especially one of my adoptive mothers. I’m bringing me back to church you pushed me in the right direction and kept me out of Lord knows how much trouble.

You’re always talking about how much I am your backbone and the best friend you’ve always wanted, but the truth is you’re a better friend and if I didn’t have you in my life I’d be lost. We always call each other by our nicknames. You call me “Patty” and I call you “Hodgy”.

Dear Hodgy, during this season of thanksgiving I want you to know how thankful I am to have you as not only my best friend, but as family. You’ve help to see m through the worst and you’ve helped me make it to my best. Always and forever will I be grateful for you.