Friends

"And I'll act like I have faith and like that faith never ends,

but I really just have friends." -- Dar Williams

It's been a stressful start to 2015, but I was treated this past weekend by a wonderful visit from some old friends with new(ish) babies (okay, so mine aren't babies any more). I hosted a brunch so the old gang could get together in a kid-friendly, low pressure environment. My friend Joan traveled in from San Francisco with her younger daughter, Jocelyne; Matt, Tracy and little Connor made the trek from Old Town; and Terri and brand new baby Charlie headed out from Lincoln Park. It was a different gathering than we would have had 10 years ago, but I love seeing us at this stage of our lives and still feeling a connection even when visits are far and few between. I just felt warm inside the entire day!

I got to follow-up my lovely morning by a night out with my guy and a group of friends to celebrate Daryn's 40th birthday (it was at Daryn's 30th birthday party that Mark and I first met). The event was a cooking class, but I'll shamelessly admit that after cracking a few eggs for the homeade pasta, I took a backseat with my glass of wine and just gabbed the night away and waited for my dinner to be served. There were too many cooks in the kitchen anyway...I was helping by staying out of the way, right? Mark had volunteered to be DD this time, so I didn't have to monitor my wine intake and was able to just unwind for a few hours and catch up with the crew. 

And to top off all this wonderful friend time, two of my besties in the world, Meredith and Katie, locked in to come to Chicago in April. We're getting a hotel, and I'm leaving Mark with the kids for 48 hours of non-stop girl time!!! I can't wait! Spending time with these ladies is just like slipping on a favorite, well worn sweatshirt...warm and comfortable. 

A few months ago when I was feeling a little overwhelmed and a lot out-of-touch I wrote a post about my worries that I wasn't tending well enough to my friendships. But, at the end of the day, it's the quality, not the quantity, of time you spend together. And the friendships that are true can weather a lapse in communication and still pick back up where they left off. The true friends will understand and will be happy to see your number pop up on their phone or your email in their inbox or your face at the door...whether its been two days or two years. 

Thanks, friends!

Holding babies instead of beer bottles!

Chefs for a night