Friends we can laugh with

We gave Erica a small shower this weekend.  It turned out great.  she got a lot of great and useful things for the new baby coming.  Lots of diapers, blankets, clothes, a highchair and all sorts of sweet baby things.  She has wonderful friends and a very loving family!  As I was looking at all the sweet people that came I thought about all the friends that we have in life.  How some wander in and wander out.  How some drop in and disappear for a time to just splash right back in and pick exactly right up where we left off. I have several friends like that.  No matter if we do not talk for months or even years...we can pick right up where we left off.  Then there are those friends that know us.  the ugly us.  The pretty us.  The real us.  Those I don't have too many of.  My daughters each have some very close friends too.  I saw some of Erica's childhood friends at the shower and it makes my heart just swell that these girls still come out and support one another.  Even of they do not talk every day.  They still have that connection.  They can still laugh and cry with one another.  That is just so wonderful.  I have new friends in my life that have come to mean a great deal to me.  I love them with a fierce and protective kind of love.  Then with my old friends I have a love that is deep and cherishing.  One that I can let myself go with.  Take off the masks and just let me be me.  And them be them.  You know??  I hope I am a good friend.  Helpful, supportive, a prayer warrior for them, a shoulder, a defender.  Last night I went to my monthly book club meeting.  At this gathering there are some new friends, old friends and the like.  You know, associates.  Associates are people we do things with on occasion that are fun to be around but your paths seldom really cross.  I think we all have lots of those.  At book club we laugh, discuss, pray and truly enjoy each others company.  It has been so good for me.  As my friend, Diane, says, "I need this!"  I do too!  I can't wait to start a new book.  One of my dearest friends in the whole world.  A sister to me really, is Kelley.  She would do anything for me and I for her.  Today my phone rang and it was her.  She asked what I was doing.  Nothing I told her.  she asked me if I could come over and help her because her refrigerator had fell on her.  This is not a request I have gotten before.  So I just said," I am on my way."  When I got to her house she was sitting in the living room with these huge gushy splotches on her jeans and a hug mess in the floor with her fridge moved all the way across the kitchen and its' doors and drawers all askew.  She had to call 911 to get it off her she said.  They have had some water damage to their house and a renovation guy was on his way to her house and she was on the phone with him emptying the fridge when it just fell over on her.  He was terrified to say the least.  Being the awesome friend I am....I laughed.  I mean there she sat with this icky goo all over her legs which at first I thought was glass sticking into her knees but she informed me it was eggs.  I started grinning then and she did too.  It was a whole two dozen she said!!  I bet it was because there was eggs all over the floor.  And juice and everything in the fridge of every person I know.  All over the floor.  So her husband Billy took her to the ER to be x rayed.  She was really limping by the way.  She could be seriously hurt and just "shell" shocked and not know it!!  Could not resist the shell reference with all those eggs laying around.  I cleaned up the mess and brought home what I could salvage for her.  I am still waiting to hear what the x rays say.  I am praying that there is no real harm done to her hip or legs.  Her fridge is a hug one with those nice french drawers. It is a real monster.  Praise the Lord!!  I just spoke with Kelley and there was no fractures or anything.  Just some minor contusions and muscle strain.  I am glad my friend is okay.  Really glad she is my friend and gets me.  She really gets me.  Even though this could have been a tragic event God is good and she is fine....and we both laughed.