True Friends

You know, you have friends.

And then you have friends.

They are the ones you can tell anything to. They are the ones who know you - warts and all - and love you anyway. They are the ones who have been there to hold your hand through tragedy and joy.

My friend, Laura, is one of those friends. Not only are she and her husband, Steve, LB's godparents, she's also one of the dearest people I've ever known. My girls love their "La-La" and they adore her kids, Josh and Jordan.


(That's Laura and her husband, Steve, with LB at her baptism)

Laura called me Sunday after church and told me to bring the girls over to play with her kids. Since Chris and our neighbor were working on an outdoor project that involved very loud power tools, we had already decided the girls wouldn't nap. I was excited at the thought of going to Laura's and catching up while our kids played.

As soon as we hung up, she called back.

"You do understand what I'm telling you to do, right?" she said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

She answered, "I want you to drop your kids off and go run errands. Do whatever you need to do. Leave them here all afternoon. They'll be fine. Just do what you need to do."

Oh. my. word.

Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to get my stuff done. Alone.

Ya'll know I love my kids. But after dropping them off (and thanking Laura for the 50th time!) I went to Lowe's to look at some stuff I've had my eye on for the back yard. And I took my time. And I never said, "Lily Baker, don't touch that!" or "Ann Catherine, come here!"

And I took my time.

Did I mention that?

Because you mothers know how glorious that is.

Then I went to Publix.

And I took my time. And no one asked me to get anything that I knew they would never eat.

Amazing.

When I finally picked the kids up, they hadn't even missed me. And I thanked Laura over and over who kept answering, "Girl, I remember what those days were like when we had little ones!" (her kids are in grade school now.)

I am so grateful for friends like Laura. And I left her house, with my kids in tow, hoping that I'm also that kind of friend to my girlfriends.

Because we mommies need each other.

Sometimes we need a litle help. And sometimes we just need a chance to go grocery shopping.

Alone. :)