A real friend may be mortified to walk into our mess of a kitchen and find an apple swarming with 100 ants, but she smiles and just offers to help clean up.

She also is happy to run to the store to get the salmon, for the salmon dinner we’d invited her to, when we’re running behind and haven’t had time to get it yet.

She listens to our kids tell stories and chases them around the yard and genuinely loves them, to watch you’d think they were her own nieces and nephews.  You’d never guess she isn’t married and doesn’t have her own children yet.

She jumps but doesn’t scream when the frog the sister caught for the brothers while they were away gets out of the cup and hops onto the kitchen floor.

She shares a loud and happy meal with us while the baby across from her at the table spits up all the way through dinner.  We laugh when she spills my water in our laps.

When I disappear to go feed the tired babe, she knocks gently and comes into my room so we can talk more.  She wades through dirty laundry stacked up against clean and past an overflowing trash can of dirty diapers next to the baby crib.  She sits down on my (unmade) bed and we catch up the important things.

Soon the kids find us and they tackle her on my bed and though I’m slightly embarrassed at the disorder and I am exponentially more grateful for a friend who loves well.

While kids head to bed, we take a break on the couch.  She is not alarmed when my eyes go wide and I notice a sizable crab is crawling down the hall behind her.

Thanks Jill for being you.  We are blessed to know you.

Onto the counting again for this week…

#461 – Jill

#462 – boys gone with their dad finding epic adventures all weekend long

#463 – no ER trips stemming from boys weekend

#464 – strawberry stained fingers

#465 – girl time

#466 – fresh salmon

#467 – ideas for fall and school and life

#468 – gut level honest conversations

#469 – the tiny curly tendrils on the sweetest three year old

#470 – grace for the moment

#471 – second and third chances

#472 – the routine of summer and the breath of fresh air it feels like