An Old Friend

Okay, so this transition from beach to real life has been a little tougher than the last. I'm on my fifth load of laundry today and it was all clean before I left. The house is a mess and there's still one suitcase on the floor (it is almost empty though).The kids and I are still tired. It was a long four days interspersed with three VERY short nights. Experience does tell me that eventually, I will catch up. However, when I look at this photo of me and my friend Kathleen, I know that all of that was worth it.
We have been friends since I was Aiden's age. We literally grew up together. Our parents hung out together so we did too. Same church, same schools, same dance studio...you get the picture.

I moved away the summer before my ninth grade year and I was devastated. Although I had lived other places, Huntsville was the only home I remembered. I had a close-knit group of friends, a large social structure, and a life I really loved.

Of all of those friends, Kathleen is one of only two who still keep in touch. We have seen each other several times over the years but the last time was at her wedding in NYC. That was six years ago. Since then we simply email and trade pictures. I was so excited to find out she was going to be in Hilton Head that I finally gave in to my husband's desire to have us leave him to his paper work for a few days.

She didn't arrive until the day before I left so we spent one whole day together. We connected as if we had never been apart. I've discovered as a mother that children are the great equalizer.

We reminisced. We talked about our lives and our families. We wondered how our mothers were able to do anything with all of us running around. But mostly, we spent our time chasing the kids. Between the two of us we had 6 children under 6 with one on the way (and NO IT'S NOT ME).
As her husband took this picture, the first one we had taken since her wedding, I wondered out loud, "Who would have ever thought we'd be here six years later with all of these little ones?" We all got a laugh. It's amazing how much changes in such a short amount of time. What's even more amazing is how much some things stay the same.

I am so grateful for Kathleen and the friend she has been over the years. I am grateful for the time we got to spend together. And, I really hope another six years does not pass us by before we see each other again.