BFFs

I don't really remember when it happened, when we became friends.

She's just always been there, since kindergarten. We were in the same class, and I guess at some point, Michele and I gravitated toward each other, and that was that.

We went through our share of junior high and high school BFF drama, trust me. But when it came down to it, we've always been there for each other.

Always.

The older of her two sons has my maiden name as his middle name. My Katherine Michele...well, that should be self-explanatory.

(Side note: It is eerie how similar Katie and Michele are. Michele has always been fashion-forward, always knew what looked right together, just like Miss K. And I'm convinced that Kate's passion for art somehow came from Michele -- like I got her art essence on me just by being around her all those years, and it was transferred to Katie. Or something.)

We lost track of each other for a few years. Not out of malice or spite, but because we were damned busy. She had her second son, and I was going to grad school, working my ass off, trekking my children here and yon, dealing with Kyle's epilepsy, etc., etc., etc.

Then about a year ago, I was in HEB, buying things to make a fruit plate for Kate's class Christmas party, and I got a text from a number I didn't recognize:

"I think about you a lot and I hope you're doing well."

About the time that I hit the send button for the message, "Who is this?" I realized: It was Michele!

And off we went, just like no time had passed.

Michele met me at my hotel this past weekend in Dallas. She lives in Fort Worth, now.

We stayed up late, talking. She kept me calm when I was freaking the hell out over the weather. She took me to Eatzi's, surely heaven on earth. She got up at the ungodly hour of 3:45 a.m. on Sunday. She drove me to Fair Park, and walked all over the place looking for the right building.

(This was in the cold and rain, remember?)

She stood with me while I freaked the hell out some more. She reassured me that not only did I look cute in my running skirt/capris, but that I was the best dressed runner there.

She walked out with me to my running corral, and stood with me until almost race time.

And then, she sat in the Automobile Building for almost SIX HOURS while I ran.

(Honestly, when I thought about giving up around mile 18, one of the several reasons I didn't was because Michele had gotten up at freaking 3:45 a.m. to get my butt to the race, and I wasn't going to let her down.)

When I arrived in the friends/family reunion area, she was there. I was babbling about how I wanted to give up, but I didn't and OMG, I ran a freaking MARATHON, and she laughed and cried with me.

And then she drove me back to the hotel, helped me navigate the lobby, the elevator, the hallway (I wasn't walking that well).

And then she left me alone. I know she had things to do -- pick up her boys, things to do at home -- but also, that was the exact thing I needed -- to be left alone with my thoughts and my self -- to digest what I had just done.

I am lucky enough to have lots of friends in my life. But there is only one BFF.

Only one Michele. :-)