A Good Friend is Priceless

A Good Friend is Priceless

• 2.27.2013

^^From a very messy lipstick game we played with our husbands for Valentine's Day^^

It’s good to know that these last dreary weeks of winter haven’t affected just me; they’ve had a nasty affect on just about all the moms I know around here. Because of the cold we’re stuck inside day after day going through the motions of taking care of our home and children. It can get a bit monotonous and lonely! (Though I must say I would rather be a stay-at-home mom than have Bron’s job any day.) I’ve experienced my own personal rollercoaster of highs and lows this month: a terrible week, followed by a pick-me-up, chased down by a great week until the sadness begins to creep in again.

Well, we mamas decided it was about time for a girls’ night out! Even though it was a Monday night, our husbands agreed we needed it. They gladly came home from work to babysit so that we ladies could have several hours of uninterrupted free time.

Only four of us were actually able to go, but we lived it up as best we knew how anyway. We spent over two hours at Chili’s, snarfing daintily inhaling appetizers followed by real meals we couldn’t possibly finish. Ironically, we talked about our children a lot; we exchanged stories and laughed. Then instead of heading to the fun center to play some rousing games of air hockey and other juvenile amusements like we’d planned, we browsed through Target. (Okay, so what woman can get through Target without spending a few dollars? Honestly. I think it’s nearly impossible; she’d have to leave her wallet in the car.) We finally made it home around 10PM feeling refreshed. And since Amy’s girls were camped out on my couch (Nik and Bron are good friends too) we four stayed up till midnight talking in the kitchen. It was only when I started leaking milk through my shirt that we called it a night!

I am so happy we moved here to this neighborhood where there are many other families much like ours.  I used to think it was rare to find other couples where both women and both men could really befriend one another. Apparently it doesn’t have to be rare. There are several families we love getting together with. Bron is anxious about the day it will end, when life happens and people move away or move on. I tell him not to worry. Change is inevitable and usually gradual. All we really have is the present.

I feel really lucky to have friends in my life. I don’t think I could get along well without them because friendship and service go hand in hand. Over the past year and a half I have learned so much about service.

When I was just too tired to think straight after Levi was born, my friend Amy took Jed for an entire afternoon! I will never forget that. It probably wasn’t a big deal to her, but it meant so much to me. Just yesterday, Amy offered to watch Jed for an hour during Levi’s nap so I could run on the treadmill—guilt free. It’s hard to exercise when I feel bad about plopping Jed in front of the tv! Though that can’t possibly become a regular routine, it was just what I needed. And since I’m feeling good from yesterday, I want to pay it forward. I called another friend who just had a baby and offered to take her older girls for a few hours because I remembered how much it helped me.

And so the cycle continues. We women really do need one another. Even if it’s just a phone call or stopping by to say, “Hi, let’s go for a walk with the kids,” I know it makes a difference.

I think we women put too much pressure on ourselves to be ideal: to have a spotless home, to look great all the time, to have perfectly behaved children, to never lose our patience with said children, etc. etc. (At least I know I feel this way!) Things like picture-perfect blogs and pinterest don’t help the cause. And that’s why I think it is imperative to have real friends: ones who I see aren’t wearing makeup either, whose dishes are in the sink, who are feeling a little tired… because that’s reality!

I’ve also learned many good tricks from these real friends about parenting: ideas on how to potty train, tips on getting my toddler to eat his vegetables, encouragement to be strong through that tantrum, and more! These women are my backup support system because they understand, because they love their families with just as much intensity as I do.

A good friend is priceless and I am so grateful for the ones I have.

^^Our beloved and well smooched husbands^^

P.S.  Our good friend Anna is flying in from New York this weekend!!!  I've been out of my mind excited all month!