You're simply the best

I have the greatest friends - really, I do.  And I appreciate them more than ever when they do things like pick me up from the hospital with my favorite Starbucks beverage in hand so I can have the morning caffeine I missed out on in those pre-surgery fasting hours.  Oh, in addition to providing pre-surgery support and encouragement.  And actually taking me home and picking up delicious Potbelly sandwiches for lunch and generally being 100% there for me on surgery day.

And when they do things like leave comments on my ridiculous medical blog posts letting me know they're thinking about me and wishing me all the best.  Or call me, knowing I'm at home and in need of a little friend time, to chat for forty-five minutes and catch up on life and reconnect when we live 1,300 miles apart and miss each other.  Or send emails, texts, Blackberry messages (bring on the technology!) checking on me.

And when they do things like come over for a post-surgery check-up/catch-up dinner...and bring cupcakes!  All of you, and this person in particular, know how I feel about cupcakes, especially those with an alcoholic flavor profile.

You can detect evidence of frosting (and a little fat - necessary for a good cupcake, of course) on the sides of the lid, but other than that you'll just have to pretend there are two beautiful mimosa cupcakes nestled inside that box.

And who would have thought that a mysterious "FRAGILE LIVE PLANTS INSIDE PLEASE RUSH" box...

...would contain, along with the sweetest note, something so entirely cute and uplifting...

...that it had me leaving one mushy voicemail (for Kami) and carrying on another high-pitched-with-joy conversation (with Carolyn).  I truly couldn't ask for better friends, and it means a lot to me to know you're thinking about me.  That's not just the codeine talking, either.

Oh, P.S. - my family's pretty awesome, too, so I think I'm doing ok here in this world.