My Michigan Friend

Sharla, Kerri and I (& the nice Chick-Fil-A worker peering behind us)

      I met my friend Kerri just a few months before Elijah was born.  We went to the same church and she had a 1 year-old girl.   She loaned me some maternity shorts that I most definitely over-wore. Then, just a few days after Elijah was born, she brought me a home-cooked meal and while I can't remember what the meal was, I do remember that she included orange jello with oranges.  I LOVE jello with fruit - it was a staple at my college dining hall and a must-have at any good Lutheran potluck.  We bonded over jello.
      After two kids each, and many years in the same Bible study, we bonded over much more than jello, like whiskey sours, board games, Gilmore Girls, 24 Hour fitness, small Christian college stories, camp counselor stories, HIMYM, tent-building (she probably doesn't remember this one), and silly church camp songs.  She is dear to me and when she shared with our small group back in 2008 that she wanted to go back to cold, cold Michigan closer to home, and work at her college in the most perfect job that used her talents and skills, I won't lie and say I wasn't crushed. It's hard to let someone chase a dream when you know it's going to be so hard to say goodbye.
      And a few months later, in the thick of summer, after many, many good-byes and tears, they got in their van and left.  And I was left with baby #3 to have and no one to bring me jello, with fruit.
      It's been almost 4 years now since the Allen family left Texas, but just like God intends it, when a good friend steps back into your life for a few days, you just pick up like time hasn't passed.  And when Kerri and her kids came this past weekend for Mother's Day, that's what we did. We left our kids to reunite with each other, and we gathered with old girl friends, and bonded over some wine, a good meal and some great conversation. No jello this time, but we did have jelly beans.  And that's pretty close.