June 24, 2013

Fee, Fi, Faux-Fam...


The week that was...




"Tender Touch"
Columbus, Ohio
Project 52 (25/52)
June 17 - 24, 2013



I am blessed to have a Fam that I adore spending time with.  That brings love and laughter to both my body and soul.  I am doubly blessed to have a Faux-Fam that does the same.  A Faux-Fam my Things grew up referring to as Aunt, Uncle, and cousins.  In reality it's my Bestie, her hubs, their two Things, and Thing-in-law #1.  We flew to Columbus, Ohio this past weekend to celebrate a marriage and the addition of Thing-in-law #2.  Our Faux-Fam doth multiply.  

We began as friends in high school.  She is the the ONLY friend I still have that is continuous since those high school days.  She is my exception to the rule, as I have always felt more comfortable hanging with the guys.  Girls can irritate the heck out of me.  And truth be told, I just don't NEED many friends.  What I NEED is a good one.  And that role has been played by my Bestie for most of my life. Thirty years ago, we both got married within a month of each other.  Our Better Halves actually like each other too...a LOT.  And physically, we each went our own ways in life. Our fams have never lived near each other.  Maybe that's why we have remained such great friends.  We probably would have strangled each other if we were neighbors.  Thankfully, it's a hypothesis that will never be proven.  Currently, she lives in Chicago.  I live in Philly.  

She isn't my BFF#1.  She is my ONLY BFF.  We are so similar, yet so different.  We can go for a month playing phone tag with each other.  Yet nothing would keep us from being there if the other one needed us.  Sometimes, we carry friendship too far...like having our firstborns within 4 hours of each other (ha!  I beat her!).  Our families have always vacationed with each other, spending summers at the Outer Banks in North Carolina.  New Years Eve was always a shared holiday too.   She has the kindest heart.  Me?  I play catch up with her in that category.  Bravado?  I definitely have enough for both of us.  I like to think I push her out of her comfort zone every once in awhile too.  I hate that her kids are Ohio State Buckeyes, and she hates that mine are Penn State Nittany Lions.  Her hubs DEFINITELY thinks I cost him money by giving his wife ideas...he is right.

Fights?  I honestly only ever remember one, but it was a doozy a few years ago.  It involved a terrace in Italy, lots of wine, and a discussion that turned political.  Not a good combo.  But after lots of tears, we hugged it out.  And after the last hug she looked me right in the eye and said something truly profound..."Did you DO something to your face?"  Dang, I had tried a little Botox in the forehead and my Bestie was the ONLY one to call me out on it.  Having the kind heart that she does, she apparently had to wait til she was a bit highly inebriated to let down her guard to ask me.  I thought to myself wow, it must be REALLY bad for her to actually SAY something to me.  Lesson learned.  Ix-nay on the old Otox-bay if my Bestie actually says something to me about it.


"Besties"
Columbus, Ohio


God gives us our real Fams.  But a Faux-Fam ist truly special because we have to make an extra effort to first find them, and then to embrace them into our hearts and our lives.  I could never imagine my life without my real Fam OR my Faux-Fam.  Luckily I don't have to, because they are Faux-Fam for life...orrrr, as long as I stay away from the Botox according to the Bestie.







15 comments:

  1. I have one of these. Not from as far back as high school days. But THAT friend! Truly priceless.

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  2. I totally agree - some of my closet "peeps" are faux-fam!

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  3. What a tribute to your friend. I love the first photo, well done.

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  4. To have a friend from school days is a treasure indeed as they have shared your memories more than anyone else in the world and there is nothing you can do or say that will surprise them. They just know you too well.

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  5. I don't have any friends from school... but I am OK with that. School was not a happy place for me and I am more than happy to leave it behind me but I think you are lucky to have a friendship like this.

    Mollyxxx

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  6. I love this post! True good friends are so hard to find, so when you find one...you hang on for dear life. Especially if you have disappointing family.

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  7. Glad you are blessed with this kind of friend.

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  8. Oh we do need those special friends!!

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  9. friendship is the best thing that comes to life.
    there is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate!

    totally enjoyed reading your post!

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  10. Loving the image and your selfies with your friend. Two peas in a pod. :)

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  11. I, too, can do without the girlfriends, except for a couple I've accumulated throughout the years. You have to drag me to a girl's night out a kickin' and screamin'. (I only do it to appease my closest of friends, if I can't find an excuse)! I think I'm missing the girlfriend gene. Maybe it's because I was raised with 3 bros and no sis's?? I find conversation with guys more interesting.

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  12. I can relate, Kath! So glad you are blessed with one :)

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  13. I'm like you - I only need one. I'm lucky enough to have several right now, and they all live very far away. I love your use of "faux-fam" - perfect! Great photo of the two of you!

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  14. What a blessing and how fun to have a Bestie for life.

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  15. LOL! @the Italy story! Too funny! Good friends are hard to find. When you do, hold on to them tight like a rare jewel.

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