HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

"We have tickets!" (Billy Joel concert with friends)

Happy Mother’s Day from Elaine!

This Mother’s Day I want to thank ALL of my female friends for all they mean to me. I know I won’t be able to mention each one, but trust me, even if we haven’t connected in a long time, I am still grateful for all of you. We mother each other – help each other, let each other cry on our shoulders, encourage each other, love each other, and tell each other all those wonderful things about the other one that she might be missing in that persistent nagging drive to self-criticize! You have all given me these gifts – let me look in the mirror through your eyes and shake my head in amazement, wonder, and gratitude.

Life in Puerto Rico has brought me many new friends. Some of them have quickly become very close and dear to me. Recently, I was given a great gift by just such friends. I was given a ticket to go with three other women to the Billy Joel concert in San Juan last month. It was a fabulous night out – me, Patty, Rosie, and Kelly all acted like crazy teenagers and had a wonderful time, laughing and smiling and dancing and singing and taking pictures until we were practically bursting from sheer exuberance and the fun of hanging out together! We ate at DragonFly (a great LatinAsian tapas kinda place in Old San Juan), drank mojitos, road in a San Juan cab (much more sedate than anything I was ever in in NYC), and loved the concert (where we got up to within 10 feet of the stage for the better part of the set)! It was delightful and what being with friends is all about, at its most silly and joyful.

Then there are those of you in the states who I miss like crazy. The good news is that cell phones, VOIP phones, email, and yes, even snail mail keep me in touch for the most part and for that I am so very grateful. The best thing about my bestest friends is that they all understand that even during long gaps in our communication and chances to be with each other, there is no sense of loss of friendship, no sense that one of us no longer cares or needs and wants the other. And, I always carry great memories of the silly, joyful – and also the “just there for each other” – moments we’ve shared. Two weeks ago, two of my great friends from the states, Katie and Jill, called and left a message just sharing one of those great memories (Katie and me drinking champagne and almost showing up late for a play that Jill got us tickets to go see). It made me smile just to hear their voices and the memory of the fun of that night made me laugh out loud.

I have had wonderful girl friends visit us here in Puerto Rico – Colette, Holly, Kathe, Tracy, Allison, Anne, Sara and Amy. And I hope and expect many many more to come. When I started this blog entry, I started counting my women friends, those who have made a difference in my life in such a positive way. I am still counting and have reached over 90 without even drawing a breath. This post only mentions a few names, but there are so many others who I hope will recognize themselves and know you have made my life a better journey because of your friendship.

In the world of work, Trudy has been one of my dearest friends for over 25 years. I adore her and she is without question, one of my guardian angels. I also have wonderful friends through WMU – CTAC, the SPPA Dept., and the College of Health and Human Services, at KRESA (and the P.E.T. program), at Gobles Schools, and Van Buren Intermediate School District – all people who have become much more than co-workers, they have been and are my friends. Sandy and Connie, I’m still hoping you’ll both make it here to visit in the not-too-distant future. Holly and Donna – spread the word, it’s a great place to vacation and I would love to see so many more friends here.

In the world of neighbors and family friends, I have been blessed with so many generous and life-loving people - Patty, Shelly, Pat, Linda, Bonnie all have been there for me and John, both. We love you and miss you. Here in Puerto Rico, I don’t know what I would do without Marisol who has become like a sister to me. And, Suzanne, Michelle, Mary, Patty, Rosie, Kelly, Kendra, Poppi, Lisa, Tina, Pat, Jen Y., Sharon, Elaine, Lourdes, Andrea, Sarah, and Jen S. make me smile on a regular basis because they are more than people who come to Ola Lola’s, they are all our friends!

In the world of school, I have friends that I never knew could be so close – Cindy K. (all the way from preschool), Jen P., Colette, Shannon, and Erin (from WMU) have been my allies and best buds through tears and partying and everything in between.

Then there are people you just know came into your life for a reason, and you’ll never ever figure out what you did to deserve them. This includes so many of my sweet wonderful women friends from the kite community (Ann, Kathy B., Karen R., Kathe, Allison, Susan, Tracy, Donna, Paula, Mary, Bette), dear friends Stacie and Piper, Nancy, Katie and Jill, Katy M., daughters (Sara and Amy), sisters (Mary and Amy), wondrous sis-in-laws, Julie and Cathy (who always makes me laugh and wins in the "losing weight and looking gorgeous" category), special nieces (Shawna, congrats on the engagement!), my adopted mom and sisters, Mum E., Hazel, Rose, and Margaret in England, my Grammy (Ann) and Grandma Lucille. And, most of all, it includes my own mother (who died more than 20 years ago), and Marti, John’s mom who became my new mom and a best friend of the heart and soul from the moment I met her (she died 3 years ago and I still miss her almost every day).

During the past year, there are several of these amazing women who literally have saved my life and helped me start a new one here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and for a lifetime to Trudy, Ann, Elizabeth, Katie, Jill, Abby, Jen, Pat, and Sandy. Erin and Nancy, you each gave me “breathing lessons” and gave me a sense of peace when I couldn’t find it myself (and I am sending you special hugs to help you through tough times). Special thank you and love to Sara, who was there when I was down to the wire to finish packing and had no way to lift one more thing. And, thank you and special Happy 1st Mother’s Day with love to Amy, who has given me the sweetest (and sometimes funniest) mothering when I need it most and is now sharing her joy of being a mom to Kennedy Anne with me.

And, to all of the many other friends John and I share both in the states and here in Puerto Rico, we wish you a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY from Ola Lola's!