"Friendship improves happiness,
and abates misery,
by doubling our joys,
and dividing our grief. "
-Cicero
Within several weeks of moving to Florida I attended a local MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) meeting. After a couple of meetings a fellow MOPS member said she had to introduce me to somebody because she just knew we would connect.
Kelli and I indeed connected quickly; we are kindred spirits. Both prior elementary teachers. Both mothers of three. Both military spouses. And the similarities continue....
We have been regular friends ever since. Our families mesh beautifully and between weekly coffee/play dates and weekend family gatherings our friendship blossomed.
For the last six weeks we have bonded over deployment. Both our husbands are in Afghanistan; different missions and locations. A usual week includes us gathering our six kiddos for dinner twice a week and coffee one morning. We have evolved into, "come as you are friends.' We have called one another at the end of our rope and without any explaining the other has opened their home, without hesitation, in a moment's notice. We can plan to host a dinner several days in advance and not a blink if we serve left-overs or half-heated frozen food. We can arrive with our hair fixed, make-up on or didn't-have-time-to-shower appearance. There is no judgment. There are no expectations. We love one another's children and can see past a momentary tantrum. We have laughed together, cried together, worried together, planned together and hoped together. We are a constant encouragement for one another. What a true blessing!
Only a mile and a half sits between our homes. This is where we spend our Saturday evenings; on her back porch with a glass of wine, chatting all the while our kids play. We are in a great routine and have our evenings streamlined right down to changing all the kids into pjs.
The view from her back porch
All six sharing supper.
