Summer nights and friends

When I hear women talk about friends they have had since childhood or even college, sometimes I get a little (jealous). I don't have any friends that I hang out with now that I have known for that long. Moving an hour away isn't even the only reason...it's just life. And that used to make me so sad, and I longed for that kind of friendship.



But sometimes God blesses you with a different kind of friend. One you meet through your son's football obsession. Or one you meet through your (of all things) computer. And sometimes those kinds of friends are the best kind.



No, you don't have shared memories of your third grade teacher, or the kid that was always picking his nose :) No, you weren't in the same sorority (I never was, anyway). You don't share years of heartaches and laughs and weddings and babies.



But you do share the feeling of wanting to be a friend. Of needing the comraderie of a girlfriend who is walking the same path as you are right now. Sharing a life of being a wife and a mother and a sister and a Christian and best of all, a friend.



God has blessed me with two new friends this past year. You probably remember Becky, my workout partner and tattoo-getting friend (see the Tattoo Mamas post from March). She is a balm for my soul on a daily basis, always telling me exactly what I need to hear (whether I want to hear it or not). She listens to my rants and raves, and I listen to hers. We share some of the same dreams, and we have so many things in common, it's a little scary. I'm pretty sure we were sisters in another life.



Catherine is my first ever "blogger friend". We met right here, in the world of blogs, through Jennifer. When I read that she was moving to my part of the country, I was excited to help her find a place to live. I encouraged her to pick Ohio over Kentucky (it worked). Now she and her husband have bought a house 25 minutes away from ours! We have met up several times at restaurants and movie theaters, and it didn't take long for us to feel utterly comfortable with each other. And our girls adore each other already, too.



So I decided to host a cookout with these new friends of mine. Always a risky endeavor, I think, to get people who have never met together for dinner and socializing. Either it works, or it doesn't. I was a little nervous, but once Becky walked through the door and immediately introduced herself to Catherine, and Mike joined the men out back, and all the kids started playing, I knew it was going to work. We cooked while the men talked, we ate, we talked, we drank, we listened to Mike and Kipper play guitar (how cool is that?), we ate some more (thanks, Becky, for the delish dessert) and we played the Newlywed game (and no one even got mad). I didn't want the evening to end, but fussy kids prevailed, and everyone left around 10:30, full of food, fun, and new friendships. I feel so honored to be Catherine's first Ohio friend, and Becky's
"BFF". And I truly feel like this is just the beginning of a long friendship for all of us.



Here are some pics of our night. I'm sure none of us girls will be satisfied with our photos (I look so fat/greasy/pale/squinty/my hair's not right). Sorry, but tough. You signed the blogger release form, right? No, you didn't? Oh, well, you can call my lawyer later...







Becky and Mike's youngest, Summer, looking adorable, as usual. I could just eat her up, she's so stinkin' cute.

Joe, teaching Summer the basics of Nosepicking 101.

Elijah and Jake, playing Runescape in real life.

With Gabe trying to get in on the action. They never stopped moving, thus the blurriness.

I caught this picture of Matthew after he put the jeep in the creek. For the second time. Seriously, aren't jeeps supposed to be 4 wheel drive?

Catherine and Kipper. What a neat couple. We felt an instant connection (Jeez, I sound like I'm on The Bachelor). We had such a great time at the Blues Fest, and we're so glad ya'll moved to Ohio!

Addison and Campbell, Isabel's newest girlfriends. They played Barbies and babies and house and fashion show, and generally hit it off beautifully.

Mike and Kipper hit it off, as well, bonding over guitar music. I love it!

After about five tries, we finally got a picture that we could all accept. Well, I don't think I let Becky see it with her glasses back on, but too bad, so sad. I love it. We have to stop being so critical of how we look, and just see what the picture means. When I look at this photo, I see three women who are at the beginning of a great friendship. I see a future of GNO's (girls night out), book clubs and phone calls. Dinners with families, just husbands, and just girls. New memories to make are right around the corner, and I can't wait!