Fresh.

One of the best things in life are friends.  Old friends. New friends.  In-between friends (kidding).  I have always enjoyed making new friends, watching my kids make friends, and having friends make friends.  One of the most frustrating point in life as an adult, and as a kid, is the obvious "already determined" circles of friends of which you or someone else may never become a part of.  It's defeating.  I strive to be open to friendships, old and new.  I certainly have been the "victim" of the predetermined circles of friendship, especially the circle of couples.

A few years back I attended a MOPS meeting (Mothers of Preschoolers) where the speaker centered her discussion on quality friendships that help you be who you want to be.  There is the inner core friendships and relationships that are important to who you are as a person like Jesus, your family, your husband, your best friend.  Then the outer cores circles are those who support you and progressively become more less involved in who you are, but nonetheless help you form your being.  Get it?

I've had friendships and relationships that I've decidedly let dwindle to a further out circle from the core.  I could see that I was not becoming a better person with them in my life.  They are still important to me, I still care about them, but I needed to distance myself.  I want to fill my core and the circle supporting it with those that make their faith and family most important.  In addition to that, honor, morale, humility, honesty and a host of other values are of increasing importance to who I am, and who I want to share my life with.  This doesn't make me better than others, above them, but wanting the support for myself to continue to better who I am.

I'm making a fresh start in who I am.  Evolving who I was into who I want to be, and choosing to encircle myself with those with the characteristics and values that are center with the way I want to live my life and how I want to raise my family.