I was the first to meet and hold that baby—the first to hold the next three. We have been friends through painful times of life and times of joy and hope. Through toddler drama, pregnancies, potty training, diaper rash, and tantrums. Through terrifying teenage trials and bittersweet transitions from one stage of motherhood to the next.

have to admit that 2017 was a very hard year for us. Parenting teenagers (really REALLY parenting teenagers, the hard stuff), job stuff, money stuff, depression, stress. It just kind of sucked in 1,000 ways. I probably cried more than any other year of my life. Except maybe 2016 when it all started sliding downward.