How do you say “I love you”?

My best friend is quite creative in doing so. My favorite two of late are the following:

I have reveled in the two visits I have had with my best friend and her new daughter. In November and last month, they took the train down for a four day weekend. We watch movies, play games, and play with the baby. My friend is generous enough to allow me to be the caretaker of her daughter while with me, dressing, diapering, soothing, and this last time feeding baby cereal. Simple tasks that are never a chore with her little butterball.

However, with the MS, I do not have the best control of my hands at times. So while snaps on baby clothing is meant to ease the dressing process, I find them rather difficult to use. I struggle and struggle to get them to snap, sighing with relief when I am finished. Only when I take a second look at her daughter, I discover that I have missed a snap and her clothing is all crooked.

In November, my friend had brought one outfit that was pants. Naturally, I was all for her daughter wearing the same outfit all four days. Her mother was quite against that idea, especially since babies grow out of their rather adorable clothing all too quickly.

So when my friend was packing for this last visit, I asked if she was going to bring some pants. Her answer was a bit evasive and I forced myself to drop the subject. Imagine my surprise when my friend called me to the guest room only to find all of her daughters clothing spread out on the bed. Every outfit was pants.

“I love you.”

The second way I hear “I love you” from my friend is seemingly thoughtless.

Those who know me know that I get exhausting working full time. I sleep until the latest possible moment in the mornings and I do not want phone calls on Saturdays before noon. The later is quite forbidden.

Forbidden that is except for my friend. She will call me early in the morning, even on workdays, to squeeze in a game of on-line Scrabble. Even with a new baby and a husband, she still finds time to satiate my unquenchable thirst for playing games. She beats me, too (though I like the competition, I HATE losing).

Though she had called on Saturday mornings a few times, it wasn’t until I had had a truly horrible day at work that she broke the weekday morning phone call taboo. I had cried on the phone the night before the whole way home from work. Life was hard. I finally fell asleep and had only had a few hours rest when the phone rang at 7:20. It was my friend asking me if I wanted to play Scrabble.

“I love you.”