Thanks, everyone.
In my friends’ defense, I will say that I think they are both a lot less social than I am. I think it’s easier for more introverted people to assume that I won’t miss them if I don’t hang out with them because I actually have quite a large circle of friends. The primary reason I do, however, is I know it’s a lot to rely on just a handful of moms and kids to provide the everyday social interaction that my kids and I like. My preference really would be to have small playdates with a few close friends. Anyway, these two women in particular pretty much keep to themselves (separately, they’re not really friends with each other either); they’ve done very little to integrate themselves into my wider circle of friends. That’s why I do think they are grateful that I keep reaching out to them, because I sense that it is difficult for them to initiate playdates/nights out on their own. I don’t think they realize how it seems to others if they constantly put us in the position of inviting/hosting, while they simply accept or decline invitations on their whims.
But yes, I do get tired of the “caretaker” role at times. I’m naturally not as outgoing as I seem, so I do appreciate when people check up on me every now and then, instead of it always going one way. One of the friends I’m writing about was so out of touch that she didn’t even realize that I had broken my arm until three months after it happened. As someone said, I know that friendships are full of ebbs and flows, and my own feelings about them are the same. Sometimes I’m personally willing to withstand the ebbs and sometimes I’m less patient with them. I think now is one of my less patient times.
Thanks again for all the support. I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in feeling this way.