Making grown-up friends

As outgoing as I am, I am not an overwhelmingly social person. That said, I always appreciate having one or two really good friends with whom I can totally be myself. Isn't it a great feeling when you meet someone and you immediately click? You just get each other, and it adds a wonderful new dimension to your life. I think it's a bit like dating, really - you meet people you like, but they fade away. Every now and then, a true friend comes along and that is something really special.

I had a lot of friends in school, but two girlfriends and I were inseperable. We were never without each other. In fact, people would often call all three houses if they were looking for one of us. I also had my cousin Chelsea, and you can read more about her here. My friends and I got married and moved away from one another, and my soul-mate Chelsea died when I was 19 and had just moved away from home. I was very consumed with my husband, and making our first home, but I think I realized even then that I missed having good girlfriends. I've made a few good friends over our Navy years, but inevitable one of us always moved away!

Until now. I've met my Katie. :-) Maybe one day I'll tell her about my blog and she can know how much I truly appreciate her. Katie is performing in The Pajama Game with me. She plays Gladys and she is MARVELOUS. She also teaches elementary school music - exactly what I probably would have been doing if I had finished college the first time around. Last night we were invited to a bonfire party at the home of the show's leading man, and Katie said she would go if I went. I knew my hubby would be working on homework and heading to bed for an early work day, so I said sure. We thought we would probably be home around midnight. We were in good company and having lots of fun, and I think Katie and I could literally sit up all night and talk. We practically did. Katie dropped me off at 2:40 this morning, but we were so deep into a discussion of religious philosophies that I still didn't make it inside until 3:30! Ouch. So, I'm sitting here, sleep deprived, and my hair REEKS of smoke from the bonfire, and I would give anything for a few more hours of sleep. But I am thankful for Katie, my new stay-up-until-all-hours-of-the-night-talking friend. We just have to start our outings earlier from now on. :-)