Maria Tremonti's confident yet smooth voice gently floats into my room breaking into my subconsciousness. Monica's alarm is going off, it's 9 am and even though I would rather stay in bed I know those sandwiches certainly will not make themselves. I still can't believe that today I will be going to my first baby shower, and even stranger I am the Host. The mother has been my mentor, my comedian, my best friend for 16 years. I force myself to leave that wonderful warm spot on my bed and head straight for the coffee maker. While it percolates Monica and I talk over what still needs to be done and decide who will do what. I say a silent prayer of thanks for good friends and start to settle into the routine of putting peanut butter and jam on bread. I take the first sip of coffee and the sweet aroma takes me back 3 years to the Dominican republic. Jess (the new mother), and I had planned it last second as a graduation gift. I am half in a trance reliving the trip when I realize sandwiches are done, and it is now time for me to grab a shower. I hop in and let the warm water rinse away the anxiousness and allow myself to be completely transported. I am on a boat and the gentle waves are giving it a slight rocking motion, the wind is warm and smells sweet like pineapple and coconut, or maybe that's the pina colada I had before we signed our lives away just to get a rush and a good view of the island. The boat is actually pretty nice, and the 4 other people willing to take the same risk for $60 US makes me feel a bit more secure. We head out into impossibly clear water and one of our...well I guess I can call him our guide but what his actual training was I dare not ask, says" Who will like to go first?" I always tell Jess that I have no idea why my hand shot up before the others could even realize the guide had spoken, but truth be told I wanted to get up in the air so badly (even if I was slightly skeptical of our equipments quality). Next thing I know I am strapped into a harness with Jess strapped into one behind me. Then all too quickly my stomach drops and that impossibly clear water becomes a distant turquoise. "Were flying!" I say to Jess, she replies with an albeit nervous yet joyful laugh. We proceed to shout out a few hoots and hollers to let out some of the anxiousness we were feeling and then we allow the incredible beauty of the image before us to soak in. A silence overtakes us and we just stare. At the seemingly never ending white sandy beach. The many resorts just like ours that lie directly behind the beach. The incredible lush forest that still covers the majority of the Puerta Plata region. The beautiful Mt. Isabel de Torres as it rises from the sea green all the way to the top. I say in almost a whisper that I am really glad we did this. Jess says me too, and I say not just paragliding but the whole trip, to which she replies I knew what you meant. And I laugh realizing of course she knew. Then suddenly we begin to lower but the closer and closer to the water we get I realize the boat is nowhere close to us. I guess were going for a dip! My feet hit the water and I let out a squeal of pleasure, the water seems cold, really cold. That's when I remember I am in a now very cold shower and it was all a day dream. A lot has changed since that trip, the biggest change being the star of today's party Miss Willow Romona Redding, Jessica's new baby girl. I quickly get dressed and start to get everything organized for transportation over the the hall. We pull up to the hall and my mind is racing, balloons first, streamers second, put out tables for food, and for sitting. Monica always the savior sets up the sound system and puts some Neko Case on knowing it will help me relax. An hour flies by but we manage to get it all set up and guests are starting to float in. Everything looks wonderful. Just as I start to worry about where Jess and Willow are they pull up. As she steps out of the car and goes to get Willow out of her car seat my stomach drops and I become silent as I let the incredible beauty of the image before me soak in. My best friend is a Mom.
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