A birthday surprise

We moved to this town when Marky was 3 months old.  I was one of the first of all my friends to have a child and was kind of lonely.  I played with other new moms I met in Gymboree Play and Music classes, but I didn't have a running around buddy and spent all my days alone with baby Marky. 

Then I visited a church and met Sibita.  She was older than me- she had three kids and her youngest was two years older than my oldest.  Nevertheless, she reached out to me and met me for lunch the week after church and then suggested a playdate at the zoo.  At the zoo I told her we were not going to be going to her church, but thank you for reaching out to me and she said, "what does that have to do with anything- we can still be friends."  And thus,  for the first three years of living here my best friend was Sibita.  We did something together at least twice a week, our husbands became good friends, we went on a beach trip with our families together.  She was like my long-lost big sister, which I needed at the time.  She gave me hand-me-downs, lots of parenting advice, threw me a baby shower for Julia, helped me decorate my house, gave me recipes- just got me on my way as being an at-home mother.  Then one day, when Marky was three, she told me her husband was being transferred and they were moving.  It was like a punch in the gut.  I cried all night.

We've kept in touch, but it's hard to visit.  The last time I went to see her I was pregnant with Tucker.  Then this week she texted and said- can we come for dinner Saturday for a birthday dinner?  :)  They were in the area picking up their daughter from a friend's house and came by the house and spent the night.  We had SO MUCH FUN!  They surprised me with a cake-
Everyone sang Happy Birthday!

Then after the kids were down the grown ups talked til one in the morning (we had no idea it was so late!). What a treat- such a special birthday present for me! They left at 5:30 a.m.- they had to be back home early- this trip was not convienent for them- but I'm so grateful they did it- she is a true friend.