i get by with a little help from my friends

so my sweet friend veronica (front left in purple) is amazing. she threw a surprise dinner party for lil 'ol me last week. it was beautiful in so many ways. first, she knows that i don't really love to be surprised- so they told me a few days early. i still got the joy of a surprise but was also able to emotionally prepare for such a special night with my most cherished (minus a few who moved away before me) girls. second, the entire menu was carefully created around my most favorite things- cheese, champagne, lemon meringue pie, cupcakes from my favorite restaurant, a cake from my favorite bakery and lemon chicken with capers.

it was such a lovely break from my to-do list. the time i spent with each of them that evening, the memories that were shared and the special things that each of them said to me will play over and over in my head for quite some time.

each of these girls also serve as a beautiful reminder of how God works- how he has it all figured out and blesses us with the exact community that we need when we need it. you see, i am certain that i will experience loneliness in san francisco. it is inevitable. it happened when i moved to chicago, too. and that was difficult, but those days of loneliness drew me to God. and as i drew closer to God, i began to pray for friendships. i did not just pray for people to fill my time, but i prayed for moms that would help me be a better mother. i prayed for women that would show me how to be a better wife. i prayed for girls with common interests that i could "do life with" without competition, without judgement- women that would be able to "mother" my children with a like-minded parenting style.

and as i prayed God answered. He did it slowly, in His time (as is His style- because He, ahem, He is master of the universe and all). but each woman entered my life exactly when i needed them and each of them proved to meet a need that my life had.

and so as i move to califronia, i am certain that i will miss each of them. but i am also certain that God will bless my life again. i know it will be a process and that it won't happen over night. i also know that new friends won't be able to replace the ones that i leave behind, but they will be what i need when i need it.