Favored companions

Friend. Webster's definition includes:

*one attached to another by affection or esteem

*a favored companion

My definition includes:

*people who share life experiences with complete freedom, cry together, hug, and laugh until they pee their pants

This weekend our family is going "home" to Indianapolis to visit with some dear friends. Three girlfriends will be together, along with their families, and simply enjoy being together.

Our friendship began fourteen years ago. We met in a stay-at-home mom group. Zack was 2 and Katie was just a baby. Stephanie's son was a baby and Marcia's kids were the same age as mine. We were three moms with really young kids who had left our careers to be home full time. We were three very different women with one common bond. The three of us clicked and the fun began.

We have experienced laughter, tears, frustration, joy, pride, disappointment, and so many more emotions together. When my friend found her dream home she called me and asked me to come see it. I changed her daughter's first poopy diaper in the hospital. When we lived in Indiana we always made Christmas cookies together with the children making a huge mess but loving every second of it. We have had a million game nights! When I needed to take Mark to the hospital, my friend took Zack and Katie in the middle of the night. You know those kinds of friends - the ones who share the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The three of us have gone to the Oprah show, ventured to New York City, traveled to various conferences together, and spent many a night together in Indianapolis. Because I have not lived near them for 6 years we don't spend as much time together as we would like. However, when we are lucky enough to be together it is like we have not been apart for more than five minutes.

Life has changed dramatically for the three of us in the fourteen years we have known one another. There have been divorces, a second marriage, more children added to the families, return to careers, a doctorate degree earned, a cancer battle fought and defeated, parenting struggles and victories, and life lived.

It is fun to share such a rich history with others. It is also fun to listen to our children talk about their memories together. Some highlights include falling out of a tree, getting lost at the circus, decorating Christmas cookies, playing at the farm, and probably some the parents don't know of!

My friend Stephanie is a wonderful cook, and her home is the most warm and inviting haven you'll ever experience. During our phone conversation yesterday we decided that we would not have time to sleep this weekend. Marcia and her kids are coming over on Saturday night. It will be a grand evening. Stephanie decided that since it is the Thanksgiving season, and the three of us are all so thankful for one another and being together again this weekend, she is going to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday night and we are going to celebrate us. I love it.

Friend: a most treasured blessing.

Feel free to wonder about what is happening with our families this weekend. I am predicting lots of hugs, little children and teenagers playing on the farm, game night, walking down memory lane, very little sleep, and definitely lots of laughter. Yeah, there just might be peeing in the pants too. And it won't be Ana Lucia...