Top 5 reasons why I love Baker...

(Earth Muffin and Baker in their college apartment, circa 1995.)

Today is Baker's birthday. I'd tell you to stop by her blog and wish her a happy birthday, but she hasn't updated it since January (Bad blogger, bad!) so she wouldn't see all your birthday wishes in her comments until who knows when, so don't bother. Instead, read about what an awesome friend she is.

1. She is the world's greatest conversationalist. Seriously, this girl is willing to talk about ANYTHING. No topic is too risque, boring or heated. Want to inquire about her past sex life? Ask away. Feel like having an in-depth debate about curtain rods? She's your girl. Care to discuss the environment? Give her a call. I absolutely LOVE this about her because, in case you couldn't tell by my long-winded posts, I love to talk about anything and everything myself.

2. She always, always, listens without judgement. Nobody understands or lives by the notion that "nobody's perfect" like Baker does and she can make you feel better about any unsavory or uncomfortable thing that you may have done or that may have happened to you. Chances are she has a story to top or at least match yours and she's more than happy to tell it, especially if it will make you feel better in your current unhappy state. I know, without a doubt, that for the rest of my life I will always have a confidant in Baker and for that I will be eternally grateful.

3. Nobody can wear a pair of rose-colored glasses like Baker can. When life hands her lemons, she makes the most awesome lemonade...until life hands her another bushel of lemons and then she starts right over again. This girl's been through some shit...some of it has been her own doing, some of it has just been the way of her world. Either way, she doesn't point fingers, she doesn't wallow in self-pity. She picks herself up, dusts herself off and carries on the best way she can. I know she goes through dark times, but she's always looking for the silver lining and she often finds it. I'm glad too, because no one deserves a happy ending more than Baker does.

4. She loves my kids. I mean, LOVES them...like throw-herself-in-front-of-a-truck-for-them loves them. Did you happen to hear her scream of happiness when I called to tell her I was pregnant with Big M.? Because it was that loud. In fact, she loves all kids and it shows when she's around them. In a room full of adults and kids, you can often find her talking to the kids, sitting on the floor with them, playing a game with them, tickling them, snapping pictures of them to email to their parents. She has such an eviably easy time slipping back into childhood that she's just that much fun for kids to be around. And she's always up for baby-sitting, which is pretty awesome too...except she lives too far away for me to take advantage of it!

5. She may not always show up when she plans to, she may not always return emails, but I know that her girlfriends are never far from her mind. I know this because when we do get together she has a sample of hand lotion she thought I'd like or a lip balm she wants me to try or a patchoulie-scented candle because it made her think of me or a book she knows I'll love or a small trinket for the boys or some music on her computer she wants me to listen to or a show recorded that she thinks we'd enjoy watching together...and it's usually something she did or got months ago and held onto until she saw me again. She remembers things I tell her many moons after the fact and asks me about them when we get together again. She knows me, she gets me and I love that about her.

Of course there are dozens more reasons to love Baker, but these five are the biggies...the ones that have kept me coming back for more since 1993. We've both been through a lot in the last 16 years, some good, some not-so-good, but always together, if only by phone or email.

Happy birthday, Baker. Here's hoping the year ahead of you is full of happiness!