Dear Jen,

Happy Birthday!  I can hardly believe that it was eight years ago that we first met with our big bellies.  Since that time, I have often thought about how glad I am that we happened to be in the same child birth class and that we quickly bonded over our love for Todd. ;)    I can’t even imagine how I would have gotten through those first few years of Max’s life without you.  I will never forget all our long walks and talks around the reservoir.  I’ll always remember calling you at midnight when Jack was ready to be born and getting that call from you (in the middle of the Bachelorette!) when it was Ben’s turn.   

I really cannot begin to say how happy I am to have you as a friend.   You are a true friend, in the big things you do – like being there in the middle of the night when Jack was born – to the little things -like remembering the anniversary of my mom’s death – and the everyday things in between.   

I am not very good at this sort of thing.  I am not good at words, that is your department.  I just hope that you know how much your friendship means to me and how much I admire the person and mother that you are.  As time goes by it can get harder and harder to keep in touch with all the people in your life.  I hope that our friendship will always survive time and distance.  I know it’s a long, long way off, but I look forward to someday holding my newborn grandchild and introducing him (of course it will be a boy!) to your new grandchild, just as we first introduced Max and Ruby to each other almost eight years ago.

Love,

Gail