April.

This is April.

She's an old friend. We went to college together.

April likes Coke, and tulips, and has very adorable handwriting.

April- get this- remembers me when I was completely single. Almost no one I see regularly remembers me when I was single. After a few new cities after college, I've always met and become friends with people who only know me as the Mom me. The married me. Good friends who know me from beyond that "great change" are so valuable. They just are.

We both liked to roll our jeans up one roll in college. So it's like 2 pants in one. Jeans, and capris. If it's hot, roll them up. When the sun goes down and it gets cold, roll them down. Genius. I still do that most days in the summer.

We used to take long late night walks together. Lots of them. Looking back, this was a little dangerous, but, in my memory's eye, the world was a different place then. This was only like, 9 years ago. Either way, we did it. We talked about God, friends, boys, life. It's a fond memory for me.

April and I have very complementary personalities. She's full of patience, mercy, and gentleness- all things I naturally am not. So it's a nice balance, and she seems to put up with me OK. But we like the same things. So we have lots in common.

She and I used to be accountability partners. We even got baptized on the same day.

We've eaten lots of Puppy Chow together. And both like to give little gifts.

When I quickly became not single, she listened to every detail that I wanted to discuss and analyze without complaining.

She slipped Jim my ring size when I suspected the Question was near so he'd have it.

She helped me plan my wedding and of course, made sure we watched Father of the Bride on my wedding day.

She was my Maid of Honor and she, along with our other sainted friends, wore her lavender gown like a champ and never uttered a word of complaint to me. That is friendship. I am still sorry for those lavender gowns. Sorry.

When I got married, she, and our friend Erika, bought me my first subscription to Martha Stewart Magazine.

She was the first person I told when I found out I was pregnant with Grace.

When we moved away to enter the "real world" in another city, she was there to wave goodbye when we got in the car.

After college, we still emailed each other often, and did Bible Studies together via email correspondence. That's right. We stayed in touch before Facebook.

A year later when she got married and I got to wear a black dress to her wedding, she did not gloat about how she made a better choice. But, let's face it, she 100% did.

She married one of Jim's friends. So that was convenient.

Then she moved several hours away. Then later I moved several more hours away in the other direction.

And we all kept being fruitful and multiplying.

And we always missed them.

And now, years later, they came back.

Not just back.

They live just an easy walk down the street.

And our kids all mutually love one another.

And we can just come a'calling to each other's houses whenever. And we do. And I love it.