Ten Reasons I’m Friends with YOU

First, let me say “Happy Birthday” to the other half of Mommy, Esquire….

Julie as a little girl. Cutie pie!

It is Julie’s birthday. We’re now embarking on eleven years of friendship (Wow, just writing that seems like a really long time).

Here are 10 Reasons I’m Friends with Julie:

1. She made me do this blog with her. She swore it would be fun. She kept telling me it wouldn’t be much work. Yeah, right. And look who’s in New York City seeing Harry Connick, Jr. while I’m back here writing this stuff. And it is a total blast. It really is. Where else can we share the in’s and out’s of our daily lives with total strangers?

2. Julie and I have had all these kids at virtually the same time. We didn’t plan it that way. What I will tell you is that Julie is the ONLY person that I could have called before having my first child and said: “Hey, look. I know you’ll tell me the truth. How bad was your labor and describe to me EXACTLY what it felt like….and don’t try and tell me what a beautiful experience it is. I don’t want to hear some stupid crap like you don’t remember anything and you’d do it all over. Give me all the gory details.” Julie did not fail me. After shouting in the phone, “You can’t handle the truth!“ ….she told me the truth…the whole truth…and nothing but the truth. I was never so thankful.

3. Julie is hilarious. She can make me laugh. She appreciates my sick sense of humor…and the fact I have a raging case of ADHD and forget half of what people tell me. Plus, she sends me treats every now and then…with awesome cards like this:

4. Our friendship is a “judgment free zone.” We can call each other and say, “I’m calling you from the downstairs hall closet. I told my kids that we were playing Hide & Go Seek. I told them I’d go first. Be real quiet, ’cause I don’t want to be found.“ No problem. By the end of most conversations, we are laughing. See #3.

Oh, the pageant pictures. I especially love this one.

5. Julie “walks the walk.” If Julie tells you she is going to homeschool, you better know that she’ll have her kids around that kitchen table reading Anne of Green Gables tomorrow. If she tells you that she plans to run a marathon, go ahead and bet on it. When she says she believes in Jesus, just know that she believes in forgiveness, grace, charity and hope…the whole kit & kaboodle. She means it.

6. Julie loves her family. It is great to have a friend that honors her family. This means that she will respect my family and encourage those of us who are trying to raise a family in today’s world. She’d do anything for them. Seriously.

7. She is disgustingly good at most everything she does. She actually makes her own yogurt. No joke, people. Need a recipe? Ask Julie. Need to know a good place for stationery? Ask Julie (heck, she could probably MAKE your next baby shower invitations). Need a great lawyer? Ask Julie.

8. Julie is a good balance of sincere and irreverent. Yes, I appreciate my friends who can wax poetically about various issues and hash things out. Of course, I don’t mind discussing politics, religion, why you hate your pediatrician, etc. However, I would rather talk to someone who can crack a very irreverent joke in the midst of something quite serious. I like that. A. Lot.

9. She’s P.L.U. (people like us). You’ve got ‘em. You know what I’m talking about. It’s hard to make friends as an adult. It’s even harder to find people you feel like understand you. She and I can talk about what to wear for a photograph or what we want our kids to wear for a Christmas card and I “get it.” I know she doesn’t want to send out Christmas cards with William dressed in black jeans and Converse high tops nor for Catherine to don a Hannah Montana t-shirt with her hair in cornrows. I get it. I really, really do.

10. She’s been there. Julie knows my history. I know hers. Nuff said.

Happy Birthday, Julie!

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