That's What Friends Are For...

Do you guys remember this song?



I heard this song as I was riding home from the hospital this morning and it really made me realize how lucky I am to have the friends that I do. Maybe it was the just sedative affecting me (I had an endoscopy this morning), but I swear I was ready to cry. These past two years have been ROUGH and my friends were there to laugh and cry with me whenever my family couldn't physically be there.

About B:
B and I are both mothers of more than one child so the craziness of our lives are very similar. I've known B for almost 14 years, but I never realized how similar our life experiences were until recently. She's a blog reader and I love how she doesn't hesitate to tell me that she totally agrees with me on some of the off the wall things that I write. It's nice to have validation from time to time, even when it comes to things like holy underwear. ;-)

About D:
D and I reconnected after I sought her help for Ethan's memorial celebration. That entire party wouldn't have been possible with out her. D is a sweetheart! Not too many people would go above and beyond to help an old friend like she did. She's also part of what I lovingly call the "ex-girlfriends club" because she used to date a good friend of ours. I truly admire her strength and the wealth of knowledge that she has. She's a beautiful person inside and out and I love how our friendship has blossomed since we reconnected. D is my kindred spirit. :)

About G:
She started off as just a co-worker, but after almost four years of working side by side she has turned into one of my most cherished friends. Especially after all of the emotional support she gave me when I returned to work after Ethan passed away. We both share the same crazy, vulgar, politically incorrect sense of humor and I love every minute of working with her. She's slightly older than me so G also teaches me a lot about the person I should strive to be. I can vent to G about ANYTHING and she always listens with a whole heart and open mind. "Strangers" like her are hard to come by and I'm glad that I can be her friend. ;-)

About J:
J and I go way back---about 13 years to be exact. She and I have had our ups and downs from time to time, but one thing that holds true is the fact that she has my back no matter what. She is the most loyal friend that you will ever meet! There are so many things that I could list about her. Whenever we have the chance to get together, I know that I need to have my waterproof mascara on. J is hilarious and I laugh myself to tears when we're together. J is a strong person and I really admire her ability to face adversity with her head held high.

About K:
We've known each other since we were seven years old and I absolutely adore her. 20 years of friendship can teach you a lot about a person. What I love about K is how much she knows me. Despite all the bullsh*t I went through growing up (and she saw it all) she hasn't ever judged me. I also enjoy her wonderfully random sense of humor. She's more than a friend, she's like a sister to me. We've fought over Barbie shoes so that should say a lot! K will be my family for life.

About KT:
She's my birthday buddy and I love her to death. We don't get to hang out as much, but when we do we can pick up right where we left off. When I was 7 months pregnant with Niki, I'll never forget the conversation we had about Ethan. She really placed herself in my shoes and she felt what I felt. Not too many people have taken the time to actually do that. I will never forget the tears and blood she shed for my baby boy. I love that girl!


About L:
She's been my very good friend for 14 years....actually she was the very first friend I made in high school! L is beautiful, bold, and blunt. I admire her sheer honesty (she tells it like it is) and her confidence. I'll never forget how she reached out to me in the days following Ethan's death. When I was finally able to talk, she listened to my entire story despite the fact that I "killed her minutes". Even when I was in my deepest depression she still managed make me laugh. Not too many people can do that for a person. And until now, if I need to confide in her, I know she's there to listen and offer advice.

About M:
M and I have been friends for 14 years, but our friendship started to grow in more recent years. She is Niki's Ninang and I chose her for a reason. I never told her this, but she reminds me a lot of a "Ninang" of mine who passed away -- "B". M is strong and outspoken just like Ninang B was. Everyone needs a Ninang like Ninang B. Niki is a lucky little gal because she's already talking about making her prom dress. :) As a friend, M is the most devoted and open-hearted person I know. She is always there for me (on random Wednesday nights even!) whenever I need support.

**Edit***
About A:
How could I forget about A?! I spent so much time making sure that I had everyone in the correct alphabetical order that I realized that A wasn't included in the final draft of this post. But WOW... A is oh so important to me, too! She is one of the few people that I can seriously talk religion with. She's my "Christian girl"...and is exactly the type of wife that I hope to be some day. She's another friend that I've had for almost 14 years and regardless of how life gets in the way, I know that I can count on her when I need both spiritual and moral support. :)

I feel so blessed to have some awesome women in my life. I love the diversity that my friends have to offer. I have friends who don't like each other, friends who don't know one another, co-worker friends, and friends who are both old and new. I'm not usually a mushy person, but I really felt compelled to share a thing or two about the friends that I cherish so much.

Thanks for being you. :)