Friend

You know what's really cool, Gentle Reader?

When your kid makes a friend.

You know what's even cooler?  When your kid's friend has lots of siblings for your kid and his siblings to be friends with too.  Awesome.

And then...  it's super cool when these friends of your kids actually has a mom that you like.  Because then you get a friend too.


That is the awesome-est of all.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to make friends when you aren't in school, you don't work, and you actually have "nice" yoga pants designated for leaving the house?  And they aren't for yoga, people.  They aren't for yoga.


But I digress.

So, my point.  I have a friend.  Her name is Carrie.

That's her.  She's War-wah's Mom.

So, Carrie and I get our six collective boys and one Laura together and go to the zoo fairly often.  Or, sometimes we just go play at each other's houses.

Last week we went to their place to play.  It was a pretty nice day, so we were playing outside.  I was taking pictures.  But of course I was taking pictures...

this expression cracks me up.  "gasp!  Holy January sunshine, Batman!"

"Ah, gee...  It's nuthin'."

So we all had a grand time.  It got chilly when the sun slipped down the horizon, so we headed inside.  Harrison and Broc (the other baby) made each other cry a lot...  (they both wanted the same ninety-nine cent beach ball, you see.)  Lucas and Bryce played with animals...  Max played with everything...  Laura made butterfly cards for her teacher...  And after a while I loaded up my boys and came home.

We ate dinner, boys went to bed...  Just an ordinary night.  Then I started looking for my camera to upload the photos I had just taken onto my computer.  Then I kept looking.  Then I looked some more.  I didn't see it in the usual places I keep it, and it wasn't in the car...  I looked again.  And again.

Oh, no.

Oh, no no no no no.

It was a little after ten...  should I text Carrie?  Is it too late?

My camera was MIA.  I texted her.

Mariah-  Ummm...  Did I leave my camera at your house?
Carrie-  Haven't seen.  Looking.
Mariah-  Would be either on the table or the bar...  Or...  Gulp.  Outside on the floor of the fort part of the swing set.  I think I'm having a heart attack.


I found my camera, literally, about ninety seconds after sending that last text, in a place I always keep it.  I must have looked right at it about seven times.  Picked up the phone to call Carrie so she wouldn't have to start looking for it...

And this is how I know Carrie is really and truly my friend.

I called.  She answered.  From the backyard.  In the dark.  In the rain.  Wearing her bathrobe and rain boots, with an umbrella in one hand and a flashlight in the other.  Looking for my camera.

That's a good friend.