When "Thank You" Isn't Enough...

   One thing is for sure, I have the best friends in the WHOLE world.  Yes, I do.  Even better than yours. My friends are my very favorite. In order to be my friend, it is a requirement that you can make me laugh. That's it.  And I'm not even that strict about that because there are a few friends that I have that don't make me laugh. And I don't make them laugh...yet.  So either, you make me laugh OR I find it a challenge to make you laugh. One of those two scenarios and you are officially "in" the Darbi club. I have a particular friend who makes me laugh so easily. And hard. Like I consider wearing a diaper when I'm with her because I know one of these days the fortunate/ unfortunate event of laughing so hard and not making it to the restroom in time is just GOING to happen.  (Also, I come from a line of strong women...who laughed...and wet.)  Her name? Kluber.

    Kluber (or "TAMARA ANN!" when she's in trouble) is just that friend who everyone needs by their side.  Feeling happy and want to share it with someone? She's your gal! Feeling sad? Here she comes. She'll pour you a glass of wine and have you laughing in no time.  Got kids?  She's the best adopted Aunt out there.  Loves them like they are her own.  Want to go to Vegas?  She'll buy.  Wait a minute, WHAT???

    Let me back up. I love being a mom. Love it.  Love my kids so much. But it's hard. So hard. And I just need a change in scenery sometimes.  Something other than cleaning up poop and explaining for the fifteenth time in one week why we don't kick the dog, and why we keep our tongue in our mouth. Tiring.  Mike and I have been to Hawaii 3 times. To me that's the definition of a spoiled brat, so I have nothing to complain about, but I had just been feeling like I needed to get away to do something...but the child care would be very hard for anything more than a few hours. And then Kluber called. She just wanted to take me to Vegas because she loves it so much and wants her friends to see how awesome it is. That's it.  To her, it was probably a really nice thing for her to do. But for me, it was so much more. And she could only understand if she was in my shoes, which would be hard because I wear a size 5 and often glittery shoe, while she sticks to buying every shoe Nike comes out with. She just couldn't wear my shoes.  But for this blog post I wanted to try to thank her for her generosity...

  Tami- Seriously.  I got to take a shower for 3 days...in a row...without having to get out, sopping wet and do roll call, making sure to hear all 4 childrens' voices before rinsing the shampoo. Just got to take showers! And when I was done, if I wanted? I could brush out my hair! Dry it even!  That part alone was SUCH a treat. Such. And you were the best hostess...always asking what I wanted to see/ do and not making me feel rushed. I'm still mad at you that we missed the drag show, but I guess that just means we have to go back. Mike will LOVE it.  Thanks for teaching me how to gamble.  Thanks for ordering room service and having a party in our room when I didn't feel too well. There were SO MANY OPTIONS for you...but you hung out with me.  Thanks for not getting mad when my new purple hair dye job turned our bathroom and half of the hotel towels purple...knowing the room was on your credit card.  Thank you for our dinner at Collichios.  I felt like we were movie stars but we just needed a break from the public so we went there to eat our lobster bisque. We laughed, we cried, it was the best.  

   Thank you for everything we did together and that you bought for me/ with me/ near me that trip. I will never, EVER forget it.  But it wasn't just the trip, it was that it was with you and your amazing family.  Your loving, generous spirit, your ears that are willing to listen to any lame complaint I have about life, your contagious laughter, I just can't say enough about you.  You're pretty dang amazing.  Dang amazing.  Thanks for being just who you are. Oh, and for taking me to Vegas. 

*****ALSO a HUGE thank you to my husband who trusted me to leave with Kluber (we didn't even get arrested! Not once!) and took on the kids by himself. I'd write more and get mushier about all of that, but he doesn't read my blog, so I'll just tell him again in person.