January 02, 2001
Roots
I spent most of the weekend out in Lansing visiting Dawn and Jason, and New Year's Eve, the rest of our gaming group (namely Alex and Heidi) came over as well. Saturday night, Dawn and I were on our own, as Jason was off with yet another gaming group (sense a theme here?). It was nice. I got to hear all the little details about how her pregnancy's going, and all the neat things the baby (a boy, by the way) is doing in her tummy. It was a very definite female bonding thing.Then she threw me for a loop. We were talking about what will happen as her due date gets closer, and about going to the hospital, and so on. Dawn was worried, because Jason works a good distance from home, and she was nervous about being alone when she does go into labor. Understandably so. I asked if maybe her mom would come stay with her. Now, Dawn's mom is, to say the very least, a little unstable. Even as I said it, I knew that she probably wouldn't be the most calming influence on Dawn, were she around. Dawn and I laughed, both realizing that probably wasn't the best idea. Then Dawn said, "Well, one thing I did find out was that I'm allowed to have two people in the delivery room with me. I already asked Jason what he thought, and we both thought about you."
I think I squeaked, "You want me in the delivery room?" I don't know if I can describe how I felt. I was amazingly honored, more than a little nervous. Typical of me, I almost started to cry. These two are my oldest friends, and they want me to be there when their son is born. I'm so excited about this. I don't know, I feel like I should start reading all these "what to expect when you're expecting" books, just so I know what to expect. I'm also hoping to arrange things so I can stay with Dawn near her due date.
We've always joked about me being "Crazy Aunt Lisa" to their kids, but this makes me truly feel like I'm family, friendship beyond just friendship. It feels as much like a responsibility as a privilege, and it's one that I want. In fact, I admitted to Dawn, when I first found out she was pregnant, I wanted to be there, but that's not exactly something you can just ask of someone, you know?
I know I'm probably being oversentimental, but I keep thinking of first meeting Dawn when I was in ninth grade, and knowing Jason in eighth grade, and how everything started falling into place when we were seniors. Who knew that things would get here? Looking at the picture of the three of us on graduation day (oh, for a scanner!), who knew that twelve years later the three of us would still be as close? Closer, even?
Sometimes I feel sad, because I think of all the friends I've had through the years who were so close to me, and who I never even see anymore, sometimes never think of anymore. This New Year's party this weekend, I think it's the first time I've ever done the same thing for New Year's two years in a row. It's the first time I've ever been in the same place with the same friends for two years in a row, I think. It's definitely the first year I've ever thought I might be doing the same thing next year. It's a good feeling. I feel like I have roots. Nourishing roots, not confining ones. For that reason alone, I would love my friends. The fact that they're interesting and entertaining and caring and all of that? That's even better!
Posted by Lisa at January 2, 2001 11:58 AM
