Thankful Thursday - Special Friendship

This week's theme over at Thankful Thursday is a subject near and dear to my heart. Special Friendship. 
I'd like to honor my sister-in-love, Cora. She's more than a sister-in-law, she's a true sister of the heart. She is one of the most generous giving people that I know.
She married my husband's brother over 25 years ago, but we really became fast friends about 22 years ago, when my first child and her last child were born. Our babies were born 3 months apart. We found out that we had a lot in common and began a real friendship then.
It was so much fun raising our babies together. We spent a lot of time on the phone comparing notes. We carpooled to town once a week to do our grocery shopping and ended up spending the whole day together. Many times we'd cook supper together and our hubbies would come from work to eat and then watch movies.
As time went on, we got involved in crafts. Then Cora (who admits she is slightly obsessive) would go crazy buying supplies for whatever craft we were involved in and then share her bounty with me. We would plan a "Craft Day" once a week, usually at my house, and craft, talk, and eat all day!
My girls would love it when Aunt Cora came over. They loved to look at all her craft supplies! (Okay, we're all slightly obsessive.)
Besides all the fun times we had together, she is a friend who sticks with you during the bad times. My husband struggles with bipolar disorder, and over the years has had to miss a lot of work. Naturally, that made our budget very tight. Cora was always there to help in any way she could. Many, many times she helped me with true generosity of spirit.
The time that sticks out in my mind, though, is one year when Easter time was approaching. By that time, we were a family of five. Cora was determined that all of us would have new Easter outfits-Her family AND mine! We went shopping and she footed the bill. I'll never forget it.
Besides all the times she shared material possessions with me, she also prayed for me. I don't know how I would have made it through the early years of my husband's illness and subsequent disability without her.
So to my sister of the heart, Cora, I want to commend you and say, just like it was said of the Proverbs 31 woman:

"Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly,
and well [with the strength of character
that is steadfast in goodness], but YOU excel them all."
Proverbs 31:29