Friends

Let me introduce you to a couple of my nearest, dearest friends, Cathryn and Linda. I'd really like to tell you what I love about both of them.

Cathryn was my best single girlfriend when I met and married Brian. For about two years, Cathryn and I had basically been joined at the hip. We lived about 5 minutes from each other in Madison. We got together every Saturday and did the spinning class at Riviera, oftentimes followed by breakfast at the Waffle House. :) We went to church together on Sundays. We ran together in her neighborhood. We went out together on Friday nights. She came over to the pool at my townhome; I went over to her place for dinners. We double dated; we saw each other through heartaches and crushes; we went on road trips to Nashville and international trips to Dominican Republic. After I got my boobs done and couldn't lift or hardly move, Cathryn came over and vaccumed my carpet and bathed Allie. Another time I threw up all over the place, and she held my hair back and took care of me all night. Then there was the time a mutual friend was being VERY mean to me, and she fought for me. We were very best friends. Then. . . I started dating Brian (at Memphis in May with Cathryn) and became joined at the hip with HIM instead. Suddenly I was with him all the time instead. And within three months, we were married. If I were Cathryn, I would have been UPSET. I am sure she was. I would have felt abandoned. I'm sure she did. But you have to know Cathryn. Cathryn loves and forgives and moves on. Nine months later, when I gave birth to Maggie, she visited me in the hospital. A few months after that, when I had a miscarriage, she sent me flowers. A few months after that, when I gave birth to Penelope, she offered to start meeting me for lunch at McDonald's for a Happy Meal instead of Victoria's for a quiche. I've had some friends who basically acted like I was from another planet when I got married and had kids. Cathryn didn't miss a beat. Cathryn is my friend, no matter what. I know that without a doubt. I had the pleasure of being in her wedding his past March. It was beautiful, she was beautiful, and she married the man of her dreams. I couldn't have been happier for her. Right before the wedding I met Cathryn's grandmother. We were commenting on the fact that one of her bridesmaids was a friend from grade school and one (me) was a more recent friend. Her grandmother said, "When Cathryn has a friend, she has a friend for life." She knows her granddaughter very well.

My friend Linda is "not from around here". She's from Michigan. She has not a southern bone in her body. Now you know I love southern bones. But I mean that as a compliment to Linda, because with Linda there is no pretense. What you see is what you get. In fact, her favorite phrase is "It is what it is." She says it a lot. And I LOVE that about her. Linda is one of those people that I wouldn't be embarrassed if she showed up and I had not showered in days and my house was a complete wreck. Because she probably wouldn't even notice. Linda is smart; competent; and doesn't pull any punches. She tells it like it is. I LOVE that about her and I am SO thankful to have her in my life.