Friendship

"How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)"

It happened gradually, the way most of my friendships do, I can't even really tell you how we met.  I remember overhearing a conversation she was having on the patio of my favorite coffee shop and falling in love with her.  I remember thinking to myself:  "Self, (cause I'm hip like that) Self, she's awesome.  We (and I mean, of course, the royal we) should know her."   I interjected a little something in the conversation and swiveled my chair around to join in, but mostly, I just listened.  (I'm shy, what?)  I have no idea if I made much of an impression that day or not.

Fast-forward a little bit and, over a blossoming Facebook friendship, she announced they were moving.  So, I told her how awesome we are our neighborhood is.  Thankfully, they ended up buying a house right by us. (Finally someone cool in our neck of the woods)

Moving is a lot of work.  A nearly impossible amount of work without kids and she has a kid, so I offered to watch him cause I wanted to suck up a little I'm cool like that.  I fell in love.  The Boynado is, simply put, wonderful.  How could he not be with parents like his?

Our friendship grew through struggles; confidences were shared, and I've come to regard her as one of the most awesome people to have ever blessed my life.  She's talented, smart, generous, loving, giving, beautiful; a wonderful Mother, Wife and Homemaker; AND she's amazingly funny.  I get to learn from her every day.  Me, my life, my partnership, would not be the same without her.  Words could never express the gratitude I have to [insert entity here to whom I should show gratitude] for introducing us.

Cherry Mash shows me every day what it looks like to have grace under pressure.  She shows me that struggle doesn't drown out laughter.  She shows me that love and friendship accept you and love you for what you are.  She gives me an ear to talk to and a shoulder to cry on.  She answers my calls at 5am and at midnight with exceptional patience and love.  And, when I need it, she tells me to "suck it up" with equal tenderness and sincerity.  She is, in one word, fabulous.

Turns out, she comes with a wonderful entourage too.  Her husband, M, is kind, smart, generous and loving; and an amazing father and husband. Her close friend, "Uncle Sharels", is funny, smart, entertaining, kind... I could go on forever here so I'll just say this:  The time he spends with our family is priceless.

Over the last year, a tradition has grown among us.  A weekly meetup that we like to call S.O.S (shots on saturday).  Papa and I both look forward to it all week and lament its passing every Sunday afternoon.  The girls gauge the days of each week by the distance it is from those Saturday visits, and the first question they ask every. single. Saturday morning is "when is Uncle Sharels coming?"

This year, my family grew.  Not in the ways its grown in past years; a partner here, a baby there.  This year, I let some wonderful people in to my life and my heart.  And this year, I was blessed with new people to love; new people to cherish.  And I am better because of it.

**Prompt provided by Reverb10