Wednesday Woman: Rachel

Rachel does not look like that purple fairy. She does have blond hair sometimes and she is made of magic, but she is better dressed and not so sleepy-looking. Rachel is a friend of my family. She makes my family happy. She makes us better whenever she walks through the door. Rachel is our Mary Poppins but not just for the kids. For all of us.

Do you have a Rachel? Someone who walks into your life and shares your family with you in such a way that you can't imagine life without her? Someone who helps you be better to your family and yourself, someone who manages to keep you honest while sympathizing with you at the same time?

I have a Rachel. She helps look after my daughters, but she isn't a nanny. She understands the perfect gift to get my husband and she shares his taste in music. Thursday night Bones is a weekly holiday because Rachel comes for dinner and television. She understands my work problems. She plays a mean game of Bananas. She's nice to our dog.

Rachel took me to meet Tori Amos and to more concerts than I can count. She did African dance with me and because she was doing it my daughter joined us too. I'll never forget those nights with the drums. They were awesome. Rachel can dance.

Rachel can write. Rachel is a snappy dresser. Rachel is an amazing teacher.

One night a while ago, Rachel was looking after our daughters while Jim and I went for a rare night out. On the way home a reckless driver totaled our car. We came home shattered and in pain. "Can you stay the night?" I asked her. For no reason really. We didn't need her for anything. Except that she's kind and good and she made us feel better by just being in the house with us. She slept on our lumpy couch. In the morning she played with the girls while Jim and I phoned insurance and stared into space.

In other words, she took care of us. Like she always does.

Rachel has her own family that loves her very much. I love her family too. Her dad was my favorite teacher in high school and her mother was pretty supportive of some awful hairdos I had as a teenager in the eighties. When I first met Rachel she was a day-old infant at my high school graduation party. When I met her again, she was a ninth grader in my English class. I thought how cool it was that I was able to return the favor to her dad by being the best teacher I could to his daughter.

I had no idea that I was meeting a young woman who would one day end up being one of the best friends I've ever had.

Rachel is getting married on Saturday to a nice man who is worthy of her. There is a lot going wrong in the world, but Rachel is in love and getting married this weekend so that means love is winning.