yeah, her.

This girl is having a birthday tomorrow.

Though we've been friends for twenty three years, I have few photos of her, so this one of her with newborn Julia extra special.

There are also ZERO photos of us together. Next week we're having supper together, and I'm bringing the camera and changing that.

We met over a shared interest in homebirth, and our friendship grew to include birth and everything else that happens in life--the real stuff, the lumpy scruffy parts, the tears and depressing parts...the stuck parts which are SOOO predictable, the phone call can begin in the middle because we both already know the back story...

...and we also get to celebrate all the laughter, accomplishments, occasions--the whole thing, the whole spectrum over these years. The history is extensive and safe. Entirely safe. I never have to pretend, and I'm pretty sure she'd say the same thing.

She's fierce and beautiful, comical and bold, and talented and smart.

She's also kind.

First time I heard her sing was when our kids were very small. I knew she could sing, but I'd never heard her do it. There she was on the floor, kid on her lap, harmonizing hauntingly with Raffi. "There was an old woman all skin and bones, Wooo,oooh, oooh, oooooh..." It stopped me dead in my tracks. Who sings like that? Her. She does.

(She's casual like that about all the things she's good at.)

She also makes fabulous Brandy Alexanders, and big delicious sandwiches... and always says, "Awww," in all the right places.

Happy Birthday, Honey. I love you so, Val