What It Looks Like

It’s good to be in the same state, the same house, right now, with my friend Beth.

We’ve been friends a really long time.  (Like 19 years.  Or something like that.  Yeah – we met when we were two.  Exactly.)

She rarely comes to visit without carrying a container full of the best tasting cookies known to mankind.

Crunkles.

We have so many things in common.

We attended the same school.  (Go Cumberland!)

We shared the same ratty blue and white trailer featuring blue astro turf on our porch during our college years in Kentucky.

We changed the radiator on my little white Tercel.  (This is my greatest – and only – car engine achievement.  I am understandably and ridiculously proud of this.  So is my father.)

We share a “Beth” name.  (First name for her, middle for me.)

We both hold a semi-useless degree in the same field . . . theatre arts/communication.

We both just keep liking one another and maintaining our solid friendship despite steady distance.  (Texas.  Kentucky.  Virginia.  North Carolina.  Ohio.  South Carolina.)

We have been pregnant at the same time.  Twice.

Her Raven is two months older than my London.

And those girls are buddies.  They love to surprise one another.  Raven is teaching London about April Fool’s tricks.  They share headbands.  They bunk together at night and make promises to one another in whispers under the covers.  And they share a “Beth” in their names as well.  (The next generation of Beth Babes.)

My Piper Finn is one week younger than her Baylee.

We hope these two girls will become buddies.  (You know Piper has friendship-with-her-peers issues – right?)

They have such similar tastes, really.  They both like the exact same toys.  At the exact same times.  Which is unfortunate. And they want to sit in the exact same seat.  But not together. But there is hope, I believe.  Because they both own and adore an “eagle”.  (I’ll let you guys decide which stuffed animal really deserves the title of “eagle” -eh?)

I love Beth.

And you would too.

She’s strong.  And funny.  Steady.  Resourceful.  She is a darn good microwave cleaner.  (I try to challenge her to keep up her skills by never cleaning my own microwave between her visits – just to see if she can handle it, you  know.)  She’s a fantastic mother.  She has great hair.  She’s a faithful friend.

And I am glad to know that through the years

I have been Beth’s friend

and

she has been mine.