friends

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:13-16

I don't know if my roommate from college reads my blog. We usually catch up on our cell phones on drives home from work. Just yesterday, we talked about what she would name baby #3 (actually #2, but #1 is just like one of her own anyway). Then this afternoon, I got a text message that her blood work from Monday came in. The baby has tested positive for spina bifida. It is highly likely that this is a false positive. But they have to wait until Tuesday to get an ultrasound for further investigation. Talk about being on pins and needles!

Sitting here, I yearn to be near her. She lives so far away from me - and in times like this, it feels even farther. Whenever we visit each other, we spend hours dreaming of living next door to each other. Even in the same neighborhood would be good enough. I can remember worrying so fiercely about who my roommate would be. As I ventured from home for that first time, would I be stuck with someone I couldn't stand? Would we be able to teach each other how to use our newly found wings?

It turns out that my worries were unfounded. She grew up in a small town so different than my large city. But we were very much the same. We made many memories back then. She's one of those precious friends where days and months could pass but the very next time you talk, you feel as if no time at all has passed. I often wonder why we aren't in touch more often but it only takes a conversation with her little one or a tug on the leg from my son to know that life is so busy. We are in the middle of the days that will shape our families and our responsibilities are so many right now.

But the truth of our friendship remains. She's hurting right now. And so, I am too.