Old Friends...New Friends

I got together with a few of my oldest and dearest girlfriends a few days ago. Having grown up in what used to be a relatively small town, many of my friends are people I've known since elementary school. Fortunately, they all still live around here. I was the black sheep who left and moved about the country. But then, that has afforded me another group of fantastic friends.

(L-R Maddie, Abby, Max, Cale (sp?) Steele, Kaelin, Ella, Ashlyn)

Anyway. We usually get together over the holidays but this year it just didn't work. So we met at a friend's mother's home because it seemed centrally located. It's a strange feeling looking at these girls I've known for what seems like forever. We've shared gossip, heartache (real and perceived), drama and bliss over many, many years. It's a true treasure, friendship.

And we are all taken aback when we look at our offspring. We used to think WE were a force to be reckoned with, and now we're four plus seven (eight if you count my girlfriend's niece). Many of the kids are only six months apart so really no one seems left out. It took Ella a little while to warm up but when she came around she really seemed to enjoy hide and seek. She's the third youngest so it was sweet to see the older ones watching out for her, and quite vocally informing me when she had a dirty diaper. So while I caught up with my old friends, Ella was busy making new ones.


We are a strongly estrogen bunch, Max and Steele are doing their part in the effort to make up for that. God bless 'em.

Whatever's in your hands as you're reading this, bottled water, coffee, tea, Cabernet, toast those near and dear. What would we do without that bond that brings us back to who we are, were and want to be. I can only hope Ella is so blessed.