It was 1980 something...

Top, left, clockwise - my best friend growing up, Jill, her daughter Payton (13), son Tate (7), me and Piper, Ella in the middle, Kim, Jill's daughter Presleigh (10), Julie and her son Jonathon
Tate entertained Piper for the entire 2 hours.

On Friday, I got to see some very good friends that I haven't seen in a long time, my best buddies from high school and college. Jill and I became best friends in the 6th grade and she, Kim and I lived together for our first 2 years at A&M, before she left us to go to TU to be with her future husband, Matt. (I'm not bitter or anything)
Julie and I grew up in the same neighborhood and spent many a summer playing Pac Man and walking to Taco Bueno. She is now an OB/Gyn and is expecting her 2nd baby. She is in charge of planning our 20 year reunion which is NEXT YEAR - oh. my. word. How did that happen?

I have experienced a lot of life with these 3 friends. They are a part of so much of what constitutes my memory. We literally grew up together, and somehow became women with children. SO many memories. So much high school drama, experienced together. Love, break-ups, many break ups, late nights, early mornings, drill team, football games, birthdays, illness, bad perms, big hair, hot rollers, adventures of every kind, trips, college freedom, paying bills together, hours and hours and hours at the pool, discovering College station together, weddings and babies...growing up.
It was so fun to see them and their children. Keeping up these connections is important to me, and worth making the effort. The older I get, the more I appreciate these friendships that enrich my memories and form my history. I used to take it for granted that everyone had these kinds of friends to share life with, without really stopping to appreciate their impact. Since our Friday get together, I've been traveling down memory lane and having so much fun recalling things I haven't thought about for years. I pray that our kids will find lifelong friends, good friends with strong character...what a gift.