Friends Forever

This past Saturday I helped host a baby shower for one of my dearest friends.

We celebrated little Henry, Erin's second son.

Erin and I have been friends for as long as I can remember.
In fact, I really can't remember my life without her.
Really she is far more than a friend, she is the little sister I never had.
I love her.

Our friendship exists because of these 2 lovely ladies.

My mom and Cathy have also been friends for as long as I can remember.
When Cathy moved to Fallbrook she was a young Marine wife and didn't know a soul.
She met my mom at church and soon she would come over to my parents' house, sit on the couch, and watch the chaos of a family with 4 kids unfold around her.
After a while, she was sitting on the couch in labor with Erin, her first born.
She was in labor with Erin for a while, just sitting on my parents' couch and waiting.
Eventually she went to the hospital and Erin was bron.
Cathy and my mom have been best friends ever since.
Their friendship is responsible for this group.

We love each other.
Cathy is my second mom.
Cathy was who I called when I was 13 and needed someone to take a tick off my dog.
And Cathy called our house when her husband Ed was overseas with the Marines, and she heard strange noises on her roof in the middle of the night.
It was a raccoon. 
Erin was in my wedding.
Cathy has been at the births of each of my children.
She was Kristen's coach for both of her boys.
Cathy and and my Mom maintained their friendship when Cathy and her family moved to 29 Palms, Virginia, Washington, and back to Fallbrook.
Erin rubbed my back while I was in labor with James and David, and I rubbed hers while she labored with Zeke.
Cathy and my mom made it through all 6 of their kids teen years together--with much laughter and many tears, I'm sure.
My mom was there when Erin gave birth to both her sons.
Erin remembers my sister as a teenager, laying on the floor, talking on the phone, as any little sister would remember her big sister.
Their family lived with ours for a while.
We have watched each other grow up, celebrated weddings and births, and stood have by one another through some very hard times.
We know we will always be there for each other.
NO. MATTER. WHAT.

 The other thing we know is that there will always be laughter.

We crack each other up.
When you have 30 + years of history together, there is a lot to laugh about.
No one else may get all the jokes, but that doesn't really matter.
Having a group of women I can cry with, be silent with, pray with, be honest with, and laugh out loud with is an incredibly special gift.
I love them all so much.

And these two, well I love them heaps and heaps.
Lilly is named after both of them.
Lillian Catherine.
They're the best.

"A faithful friend is a strong defense; 

And he that hath found him 

hath found a treasure.” 

 Louisa May Alcott

Mom, Cathy, Kristen, Erin, I am forever grateful that we are friends forever.

Thank you for being part of my life.

Love from,

Greta

PS.  There's more about Henry's shower over at Picnics.  And lots more fun pictures from the photo booth (lots) over here.