She was one of my favorite friends, my neen. In the months after Katie was born, we spoke on the phone almost every day. She answered the phone and said Hi Beckie Jean! Post partum woes, trials and tribulations of marriage, cooking tips, kids, doctors' appointments, bills, exercise, and everything else under the moon. We had finally gotten to that comfortable place where there was no worry of judgement, just a friend who had been there and done that.
Boy, do I miss her. When I was little (and then not so little), I used to wrap my arms around her soft middle and squeeze until she had no breath left!
I wish I had a picture, other than the crystal clear one in my head, of the day she sat on her sidewalk on Minerva Street with the ice cream maker stirring thingy in her hand, ice cream dripping down her arms as she licked the vanilla goodness as it melted in the Ohio heat. She was in her bathing suit with a big smile on her face.
The last time I visited her in November 2007, I squeezed her again so tight, asked her advice and listened to the answers, held her hands, kissed her smooth soft face. I savored every minute of that visit, just in case. Every time I drove out of their driveway and watched them wave goodbye until we were out of view, I prayed it wouldn't be the last time I saw their sweet old faces.
A year ago today we lost her, and I still think about her every day. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful dream about her and it feels like I had the chance to see her again. She was a sweet lady, my favorite friend.
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