If you want to beam me Judy Jetson-like over to your house, you should text me multiple times while I'm at church petitioning me, "Can you be my hero? Huge favor!" and then call me and ask me to come over to watch your daughters while you go bring something to your neighbor who is in the hospital. That's what my dear friend and sweet neighbor Sierra did last weekend.

She asked me to come over by 3:45 p.m.

I was riding so fast with Baby Girl on the toddler seat of my bike, you could hear da-dump-da-dump-da-DAH-DUN, I was Mrs. Gulch pedaling fiercely against the din of reggaetone over to Sierra's. I reached her driveway by 3:42 p.m.

When I arrived, the scene was not at all as I expected.

Her daughter C was riding her trike. Sierra was totally at ease, like I had just arrived at a backyard party.

Oh wait.

Why is my friend Anna and her family following me up the driveway? Did Sierra frantically call everyone she could just to come help her with this neighbor hospital errand help thing?

Oh, wai--time out. Wait, what? WHAT?

Oh.

I seriously have the bestest friends.

***

The next four hours was a curtain call. Assorted cast members from This Is Your Life: Boston entered from stage left and stage right. Many wonderful cameos by many wonderful people.

Mid-way through the night, the following photo was taken:

The gravity of this moment, in an e-mail to Sierra, et. al.

As I stood in the backyard of my friend Sierra's last night, stooping down for a picture with all the neighborhood kids, there was another crowd that seemed to be posing for a picture. So many of my Boston friends converged in that same backyard looking back at the kids. Like two Red Rover lines Care Bear staring one another down. My young friends, my golden friends, friends who have seen me on my darkest days. Friends who brought me homemade food when I was wearing a veritable diaper in the hospital after having a turkey lifted out of my womb, friends who prayed for me, friends for whom I prayed, friends whose children I would run into a burning house to save like they are my own.

If you've made it this far, bless you. In short, I thank you for your love for me and for my family. I am so much poorer than that girl who had cab fare in 2002, but infinitely richer in love, laughter, and indomitable spirit. I hold you all close to my heart, tucked under a pink feather boa. I am honored to call you my friends.