Not Fade Away

On this journey we call life, there are many people we meet along the way. Some are mere acquaintances, a contingency may be friends in passing, and if we are truly blessed, a select few are dear friends that we know in our heart of hearts that we can always rely on. Some people enter our lives at a certain place or time--and I firmly believe that all things happen for a reason--including meeting people and establishing friendships.

When I was in junior high I moved out of state to a brand new school. I wasn't altogether happy at the school I was at--I was grieving the death of my father and completely socially awkward and unable to find my place. Then the big move, and the opportunity arose for me to reinvent myself, or better yet, become who I wanted to be without fear of rejection--which I already experienced at my old school--I took a gamble (ever the optimist) that things could only get better. Or so I hoped.

Much to my disbelief, many of the people I met in my first year of school in my new hometown accepted for exactly who I am--eccentricities and all--and they are still my friends today. Although we all chose different paths after high school, we still have a common bond that ties us together. I often wonder what drew us to each other initially--our personalities are so very different. But after all this time, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that these amazing women have made an astounding impact on my life, and continue to do so. As my 20th high school reunion approaches, my wonderful friends have taught me to value love, loyalty, friendship, and honesty, and it's memories of these great women and the lessons they've taught me that I hope the passage of time will not allow to fade away.

Could it be love?

Had a lovely lunch out with some dear friends the other day. I brought Baby A so she could meet my friend's son, who is about three months older than my little one. I was hoping the little bambinos would hit it off so that my friend and I could plan a playdate as I was feeling the need to get out of the house and have a little fun.

Little did we know, while the ladies lunched and munched and played ketchup, the kiddos were making googly eyes at each other from across the table. They were very subtle about it too, as Baby Girl was for once being shy and demure (it's all an act I tell ya) and her new little buddy was letting everyone in the restaurant know that it was one of the happiest days of his life, because finally, he'd met the one. And once they were face to face, it was as if the entire world stopped turning on its axis, and it was just the two of them, face to face, playing footsie with each other, and laughing all the while.

As you can see, it was love at first sight.

Ya Gotta Have Friends

As I embark on my new journey, feeling a little friendless although I have many friends throughout the country, I remember the saying, "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold." I'll be missing the daily contact with friends and coworkers that I thrived on at work. But as I explore the world that is inhabited with stay at home moms I dare not lose those past friends who helped shape me into the woman I am today.

So just as mommy needs friends, so does Baby A. Since my last day at work was just this past Friday, we haven't had many scheduled playdates, but have managed to hang out with my good friend's son (Baby A thinks he's a little hottie) and bonus, they don't live too far away. He's three months older than Baby A, so while her little man friend is hot roddin' around, our little miss is just spinnin' her wheels. But her new little buddy gave her the tools and the confidence to sit up on her own, without the help of her dear ole mom. How cool is that? The only potential problem I see arising is that this kid, even at 9 months, is a diehard Cubs fan. That's like mixing oil and water in this town. But he's so dang cute. We may have to overlook it for awhile.

God has blessed me with some wonderful friends who have resurfaced from the past, some who have been by my side for years, and some who I am newly getting acquainted with. I've had so much fun through the years with a who's who of people from every walk of life. And that has made all the difference, as Robert Frost said. I never thought that anyone understood me, but all along we were all struggling to be ourselves in a world that made it hard to be anyone but. I pray that God blesses sweet Baby A with as diverse a group of friends as He has me.