That First Mom Friend

Well, she did it. Carrie up and moved on me. This morning they walked out of their empty apartment leaving only a few food items for me to swipe and oh yeah, Carrie’s jacket, scarf and digital camera in the pocket. Thanks, I‘ll take that too.

You know when you anticipate a moment? You picture it in your head and maybe even rehearse it. I could never do that with Carrie leaving. I would get close…I would picture the truck driving away with her stuff, but then the nausea would take over and I would have to stop. So, this morning at 5:26 AM when I said goodbye, it was a true moment. I cried…she cried. I think it was the first time we had both cried at the same time. In true best friend fashion, up until that point we had taken turns being the sad one.

I kept crying. It wasn’t the ugly cry until she was really gone. I went upstairs and claimed my food from their fridge, the pineapple sherbert from this party, the blue cheese salad dressing from THAT party, okay…I’ll try Scooby Doo Gogurt…why not…as long as it will keep Carrie alive in my life! I shut the door of her apartment and it was a symbol of closing a chapter in my life that was oh so significant.

I walked up the one flight of stairs to my apartment and crawled in bed with my 3 (almost 4) year old and ugly cried on her shoulder. She said: “Are you crying why Carrie’s leaving?” (she gets her "because" and "why" mixed up) I said: “Yes” She said: “My Dad made me feel better when I was sad last night, I will sing you a song” She sang me Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and that made me feel a little better.

Carrie will not like this, but I just have to say that Carrie is the best woman I know. She exhibits true compassion and charity. She can do anything she sets her mind to do. This is not a cliché, this is the truth. The other day I said: “We should start a magazine” She said: “OK” and I knew that if I really wanted to start a magazine, that with her on my side, we would do it. When I grow up, I want to be just like Carrie. She taught me how to be a better wife, friend and mother. I hope that everyone can find a friend like her.