Why we all need good friends

[It's our 200th post! Yikes!]

Take a look at this year's freezer jam:

Whenever I eat this freezer jam, I will remember how much I appreciate good friends. Here's the story...

Periodically throughout the year, Andrew tells me (usually while we're eating fresh bread or biscuits, etc) that if I really loved him, I would make freezer jam because there is nothing he loves more in the world than freezer jam (friends of Andrew will understand that Andrew speaks in hyperbole about most things). Honestly, freezer jam is never on my radar. I just never think of making it. I'm not a big jam eater and I don't remember ever making it growing up. So year after year, Andrew is forced to eat store-bought jam...a true travesty.

However, this year I was in the grocery store in late August and saw that strawberries were on sale. The stars aligned, I remembered that the only token of true love that Andrew has ever wanted from me is in fact, freezer jam, and I got all the supplies right on the spot.

It also happened to be one of the busiest weeks of the year for our family. Of course.

I planned to make the jam on a Wednesday afternoon that was mostly busy, but not as bad as the other days. Everyone always tells me how easy it is to make anyway. My friend, Amy, offered to let me make it at her house where I could use her food processor and Luke could stay busy playing with her boys. When I got the strawberries out that morning I realized that many of them were moldy (seriously? after 2 days!?) and I didn't buy enough of the gelatin, so I planned to make a quick trip to the store on the way to Amy's house. That's when things took a turn for the worse.

Luke decided to pull a preview of the terrible two's and was an absolute disaster in the store. After many attempts to jump out of the cart, I put him down and he ran down the aisles pulling everything sweet off the shelves and laughing hysterically when I tried to discipline him. Of course it was the one time that I didn't put his shoes on him because I thought we would be fast. I actually checked out and made it half-way to the car when I realized I forgot to get more gelatin. I don't know what possessed me to go back inside, but I did and Luke's sprint only got faster. I couldn't find the gelatin, I couldn't keep up with Luke or which aisle he was currently destroying....in short, terror reigned in dirty tube socks.

I gave up. I texted Amy and told her that she could have my moldy strawberries because there was no way I was making freezer jam EVER (texting is so great when you're near tears). I may have thrown in some other choice words...who can remember? :).

Amy took my moldy strawberries and the ones I bought to replace them; she took my little package of insufficient gelatin stuff; she probably fed me something because she always does that; she let me vent about the day without passing judgment; and then she sent me home. Later that night, I got a text with a picture of Andrew's jam, all finished and looking perfect in glass jars.

And that is why I am grateful for good friends. They save the day and rescue me in their own individual way whether it is through a much-needed chat, a warm meal, or even a kind word when Luke throws a car at their TV (he really is a sweet boy most of the time).

Thanks friends, for coming through for me when I fall desperately short. Andrew thanks you too.

And here is a picture of my sweet, energetic little boy when he finally runs out of batteries. It is a fact that this kid enjoys life to the fullest...every. single. day.