Girlfriends

I've said it before and I'll say it again - girlfriends make life worthwhile.
*****
A soft manila envelope appeared in my mailbox, a discovery that made Little Cuter extraordinarily happy. I carried it in with the lunch I was delivering and opened it on the towel protecting the couch from dripped tzatziki.

The accompanying verbiage, on a very impressive, heavy weight note card, was pure Little Cuter. One of her besties across campus thought that since we had newly-engineered body parts we should have newly gifted Engineering swag.

Very, very soft t-shirts in XL... perfect for sleeping

There was joy all over the place - each one of us feeling connected and happy and seen (to quote this year's Bachelorette's favorite feeling).  TBG and I reveled in the fact that our daughter's friend is basking in the happiness our kid feels because we will be functional once again.  And she's happy for us, too.  

*****

There was more in the mailbox.  A flatter manila envelope contained this embroidery-I-can-turn-into-anything-I-want that SIR's brother's wife stitched just for me.  She's warm and wonderful and

even though we haven't seen each other in some time, we think of her quite often.  That she was looking for a project and thought of me as she stitched makes this extra special, because I know just how she feels.  I send crocheted baby blankets filled with loving thoughts in every loop.  To receive a similar gift warms the cockles of my heart.  

*****

Rocky called last week.  Her name came up on the caller ID and TBG and I said, at the same time, with the same intonation - She's calling because she forgot to send us an anniversary card!

TBG, who rarely talks on the phone, took the receiver from my hand and relayed the entire scene to our delighted friend, who was apologizing all over the place as TBG laughed and called her ability to recognize birthdays and anniversaries with physical cards memorable for their consistency,

It's always nice to be reminded that she cares.

*****