Mother's Day...yep, like Ice Cube said, "Today was a good day"

Flashback: Mother's Day - two years ago.

The scenario - Dove away for the weekend because Mother's Day fell on her father's weekend.

Picture this: Dove - enjoying the beautiful day at dinner with her father, grandfather and celebrating the day with her grandmother. Me - church in the morning and yard work all day until 6 PM. (Well, yardwork until my neighbor said: "Give it a break! It's Mother's Day. If I was your age, I'd be out getting my groove back.")

Present: Mother's Day 2010.

The scenario - 7:45 am church service for me since Dove was away again since Mother's Day fell on her father's weekend yet another year. (Hey, we celebrate Mother's Day all of the time.)

But, there was something different this year  in the works for my special day - a date with "just a friend."

Yes, lately he has surprised me with his, uhm....well, I'm not sure how to describe it, but he has surprised me lately. Okay, he has admitted that he liked me, which was probably a huge thing for him to do. I guess I should have assumed he did but as the age ol' saying goes (when you assume you make an ass out of you and me)... And, I didn't want to make an ass out of myself. So, I never allowed my thoughts to go too far by over analyzing his actions. Besides, as I blogged in February, he always had a way to remind me that we were just "cool" and "just friends." No big deal.

However, a change has come about and I have to admit that I like the change. Our text conversations this week has been honest and revealing. He has definitely come through with helping to take care of things around my house. If I was talking to a girlfriend right now, I'd say: "And gurl, he even cleaned my gutters!" When "just a friend" told me that he wanted to take me to dinner for Mother's Day I was a little nervous. Why? I don't know!!!

Really, I don't know. I was making sure that I didn't read into any of the new revelations from him, but I think I was nervous that he actually put words to the secret thoughts. Now I'm accountable for my feelings. Do I like him back? If so, what do I do? You have to understand me, nothing can change for us because we're just friends. My heart and mind has been closed off to the notion of liking him and that can't change just because of a few words thrown about! We're friends and that's it. I can't be getting all gitty, girlish and highschoolish over him. That's not the basis of our friendship, trust me, I know these things. Yeah, he may like me and I might like him, but freedom is the issue in our lives right now.

Moving on, geesh! We had a wonderful dinner at the Epicentre. I love sushi and he decided to be open and try it (again). It was a wonderful meal, ambiance was a bit seductive (for Mother's Day), and he even had a bit of humor. This Mother's Day was a heck of a lot better than two years ago...and I have to thank my friend for spending it with me.

(Picture: hands of my "friend" ~ ooh, mysterious.)

Before our dinner, I spend a lovely lunch with my Granny at the lake. I packed fresh strawberries and pineapple, and we had blueberries, chips and Starbucks! We spent time talking, watching the geese and sharing laughs. It was a good day.

Okay, if you want to know if anything ever unfolds then you'll have to stay tuned...

PS...this blog DID NOT turn out the way I intended....oh dear, very little about my day. (sigh) Like Ice Cube said, "today was a good day."

The other night...

"just my friend" picked me up to take me to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. (I love dance and theatre!) Anyway, he - also known as "just my friend" - was on his cell phone helping a distressed co-worker. Well, she wasn't really that distressed because the conversation was rambling about the same thing at one point, but it was all about work. Hmph! With my prodding, "just my friend" ended the call with an excuse like, "I've got to pick my daughter up now" or something like that.

Oh, this did not sit well with me. I thought of many phrases he could have said to get him off the call. For example, "I'm sorry, I have to end this call now, but if you have more questions we can discuss them tomorrow at work..." or "My friend is coming, I apologize to have to cut our conversation short..." Anything other than making me feel less than a "friend" and putting our meeting off as him picking up his daughter! Come on!

Let me give a little background on "just my friend." He is a loyal friend (I know, I can hear you, "he wasn't too loyal if he had to lie about you) who I hang out with from time to time. He also helps with those manly repairs that I need fixed around the house and he even taught my daughter how to ride her bike. He teases and questions me about my secret crushes I've blogged about or the dates I've had since I've known him and how I never talk or blog about him.

So, I said to him... "that [the phone call] is exactly why I don't talk about you to anyone. As a friend, it seems as if keep me hidden. We're friends and you couldn't say, "gotta go, my friend is here,"? I get excited about Myrhh (the vegan) and Damian (the guy at church) because of the mystery. There could be a possibility with them. But with you, there are no possibilities, nothing to explore. I've shut that idea out of my head so you are "just my friend." AND, with that little comment you made to your co-worker, it reminds me that you are and will only be "just my friend."

I know...he is a man and sometimes they don't think. Trust me, I punished him a long time with my tongue and attitude, but I think and hope he got the point. If "just my friend" wants to remain "a friend" then we definitely have to work on allowing our friendship room to grow. I talk about all of my friends. There is a source of confidence and pride when we share achievements, timelines, conversations, especially with others. So, why are we, "just my friend" and me, not allowing that in our friendship? Good question.

Are you taking notes...my friend?