"Design a friend" dot com

what would it be like if you could go to a website and design the prototype of an awesome friend?

 if i was the engineer, my perfect friend would:

-possess intricate knowledge of fine chocolate, and teach me to make homemade hot chocolate.
-be incredible at gift giving (you know, those people who give you the thing you never knew you needed but now your life is so much better?)
-be super intelligent (maybe with a degree in something fascinating, like archeaology)
-encourage me to be a better mom, and understand when being a mom is hard.
-speak french fluently
-have incredibly warm and inviting eyes that always put you at ease.
-be ever so easy to talk to.
-have an eye for beautiful old things
and
-give really great, tight bear hugs.

oh WAIT! i have that friend!!
her name is emily. and you all know her as "duff", the proprietress of Jean Jean Vintage

i met duff a few years ago when she came through Kansas city to visit some family. i remember being SO nervous because i am possibly the shyest person you will ever meet. She INSTANTLY put me at ease. we had a wonderful dinner, and have laughed and talked at many a table since then.

when we met we were both on a journey to become mothers. both of our journeys were rather heart-wrenching in their own way... and ended in two of the most incredible little boys that we could imagine.

in october, Duff, Soren and Severen came to visit us. we talked about being moms and being shop owners, went antiquating, ate wonderful food, watched our baby bears play and duff even did a chocolate tasting for us! it was wonderful. and it felt like family.

Today is Duff's birthday and I just want to wish her a happy one!
duff,
you are such a dear friend, and i'm so thankful and amazed that i get to know you.

maria