Ah, The Oscars

B's pneumonia with fever turned into a regular manageable cold just in time for me and one of my two nearest and dearest friends, AM, to get our tushies down south for D's (my other nearest and dearest) yearly women-only oscar bash. D, AM and I have been friends since High School.

AM and I did the three hour drive down to Cambria together. We love the drive. Two blocks of three secluded kid free hours in a car within a 24 hr period is the ideal situation for catching up. Even though we talk almost daily, it's rarely for more than 30 seconds without one kid or the other having an outburst.

Last year when we made the Oscar trip, AM had just had twins. Just. The babies were 8 weeks old and she had fired up and got in a turquoise sequin number (and looked hot) and watched that show with gusto even though she was running on a few hours sleep a night. My hero. This year it was wonderful to drive down and discuss what a year it's been. There she sat, now with two happy healthy one-year-old cutie pies, back at her school couseling job part-time, and in the best physical shape I've ever seen her. She's had such a great year--has managed mothering twins like a frigging pro and has turned into one of my own Mommyidols--and I'm so happy for her.

D has had quite a year too. Six months ago her divorce from the man she'd been with half of her life (they met when she was 18 and married when she was 25. She's now 36.) was announced. Five months ago she met a new man who seems to be the love of her life. She's riding dirt bikes and hangliding. He's cooking gourmet meals. She's on cloud nine. The kids seem fine. The ex, a dear friend of mine as well, has a new beau too and has moved in down the street. All is going smoothly. Sometimes, it seems so far in this case, divorce is not a tragedy.

And there I sat, realizing what a year my immediate family (N and my parents and all our siblings) had had. Cancer, remission, a new baby, Grand Mal seizures, head injuries, brain surgery, a wedding, and running two startup companies. I can't believe all these events ended (or are currently going) well, and we've still got the whole crew (+ new baby E) with us.

I felt lucky about my life, as I often do, and I realized how much more of an event the Oscars are for me than just watching movie stars win awards and getting dressed up (which we DO of course!). It's a blessing that I have such wonderful girlfriends in my life, and that we have annual things we get together for without kids. Getting away with my girls reminds me of where I came from, and how much good life I've lived and (G-d willing), have the opportunity yet to live with them in my life. I am at home with these two girlfriends, wherever we are, and I don't know what my life would be like without them.