Bosom Friends

"Marilla," she demanded presently, "do you think that I shall ever have a bosom friend in Avonlea?"

"A--a what kind of friend?"

"A bosom friend--an intimate friend, you know--a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul. I've dreamed of meeting her all my life. I never really supposed I would, but so many of my loveliest dreams have come true all at once that perhaps this one will, too. Do you think it's possible?"

Reading is my special treat these days. After 7:00, when Jack's been put to bed and while Jon's doing his homework, when all the dishes are washed, and all the toys have been put away, I put on my comfy clothes, plop myself on the couch, and indulge in a good book. Well, you all know that I watched both "Anne of Green Gables" movies a few weeks ago whilst in the thick of my nauseousness. Since then, and since finishing the 736 page Zane Grey "Frontier Trilogy" my father-in-law lent me, I've decided to re-read the entire "Anne" series. It's been about 10 years since I last read them, and pregnancy makes me very sentimental, so I thought it would be a good way to keep myself occupied until #2's arrival. I'm currently in book 4.

Anyway, I didn't mean to go on and on about my books, but just wanted to mention I was in the throes of "Anne" so that no one would be taken aback if I tend to make excessive use of the terms "imagination," "kindred spirits," "bosom friends," "depths of despair," etc. over the next few months. Just warnin' ya.

What I really wanted to talk about are my "bosom friends" Erin, Melody and Rebecca. A few girls who I've known for the majority of my life. As little kids we roamed the woods, built forts, played dress-up, floated down the creek, and ice skated on the pond. As we got older we become little entrepreneuers, trying to make a buck or two by babysitting, cleaning houses and running errands. We could stay up later and later at slumber parties, giggling over "Truth or Dare" and "He said, She said." We grew up more, and busy with school, "real" jobs and and high school sports, our times together occured less and less often. We graduated and left town to pursue higher education. We were so excited about the new changes in our lives that we never realized we might not live near each other again. That was 7 years ago.




We don't play dress up anymore, although we've laughed over more than one home video of those days. We don't ice skate on the pond. We don't stay up all night dreaming about our futures. In fact, those boys' we used to giggle about - we married them. Those baby name lists we used to concoct - we now use them on our own kids. That money we used to work all day for - we now make in an hour. And those decorating skills we used to hone on our clubhouses - we now use to create our own little abodes. I love my friends, I love who we've become, but I have to admit, sometimes I just miss "us." We don't see each other that much anymore. It usually takes a wedding, shower, or Christmas to get us all home at the same time, but we usually try to take advantage of it when it works out.

And last weekend, it just happened to work out. All four of us were home, all four of us were together, ... and all four of us happen to be pregnant. This new crop of babies doesn't know what they're in for.