Ladies Night
Every month or so, generally on a Thursday night, I dig deep into my make-up bag for that lipgloss I used to wear before Ellie was attracted to all things shiny, put on an outfit I don't want to get pureed squash and pieces of grilled cheese on and walk out the door without carrying a carseat to meet five, lovely ladies for dinner. We call it ladies night. Because we're funny. Or old. Regardless of what we call it, it's necessary for my existence as a decent, human being.
There are occasions when I forget my ability to discuss things other than how prune juice clears up a baby's constipation. These women remind me that I am something other than Ellie's Mama. Don't get me wrong, we talk about our kids. What books they're reading, one three year old's priceless reaction to the pediatric nurse attempting to take his blood, how the youngest one is gaining weight, how Ellie is (not) sleeping once again, how one is about to become a "tween"ager....but we talk about other things, too. Like, placenta pills. And home-buying tips. And how we wore Joe Boxers and tee-shirts with TweetyBird on them when we were in high school and how we wonder how that was even legal, to wear only underwear to public school. The rules were different then. And musical theater. And easter egg hunts. And the coat from j.crew we were given because our sister just didn't like it. And if there is really a practical use for thongs. What the word community really means and how we choose to live it out.
All of these women are so very different, if one who didn't know us was listening, I'm sure s/he would wonder how we were all friends. It's quite simple, really. I need S's eternal optimism, enthusiasm and genuine love for me and all people she meets and has yet to meet to remind me how good I really have it. I need B and A's practicality to ground me, B's problem solving skills to put my restless mind at ease and A's rationale and determination to embolden my decisions. I need V's passionate zeal for all things she chooses to do and involve herself in to encourage me to approach the things that I love and feel strongly about with the same fervor and bravery. I need P's quiet wisdom, her subtle humor and her reminders of how we are all the same to give me peace.
I need these women. I need to know how they see God so that I can see Him differently. I need to know how they see people so that I can see them the way each of them do. I need all of their influence, all of their advice, all of their anecdotes, all of their questions, all of their support. And, sometimes I just need a good laugh over a glass of wine and some eggplant parm.