Tonight I went out with 2 of my college friends, Kristina and Jen, and 2 wonderful friends I’ve met through them over the years, Mandy and Deb.  They took me to get a mani & pedi!! Thanks girls!!  Followed by a great dinner at Abuleos!! YumO!

Here we are:

 

Here’s our toes:

Girls, thanks for always being great teachers and teaching me this valuable lesson…

I’ve learned a lot with my teacher friends from my college days.  Much more than just anticipatory sets, QAR, or piggy back songs. A lot about boys, shopping, scrappin’, and mothering.  Great road trips to Branson & Mall of America and just simply hanging around ESU.  RA experiences that involve cleaning up nasty unmentionable messes (poop on door shall I say more?!?!), interrupting rooms with heavy fog of pot smoke billowing under their door, or knocking on doors of rooms where it was OBVIOUSE a boy was present (hmm…my neighbor on one occasion!!) We’ve been there through wedding showers and baby showers, and growing in our roles as wives and mothers.

I’m just deeply saddened that my most resent and  perhaps biggest lesson has been learned by the mistakes I’ve made while knowing these girls.

Mistakes like having these friends within 20 minutes of my home for a very long 9 years and in no way taking advantage of that fact.  Mistakes like settling in my home in Derby and getting over involved in my church and up to my eyeballs in my kiddos and only carved a tiny bit of time for them.  Sadly it has taken the fact that the opportunity to see them will no longer be to learn this lesson.

I often times catch myself with sadness of leaving as if I’m dying and not just moving.  All these emotions and feelings make me want to share with people why I love them and what they mean to me.  I sometimes have to remind myself that this isn’t a forever goodbye.  It is a point in our friendship where things will change, but not end.

So, to Jen & Kristina I thank you for being there for me and with me the last 12+ years! It’s always a good time together! I’m glad the drama of boys and crazy college experiences are behind us and that we can share in life as mothers and wives!!  You are both a constant source of joy.  So happy.  So positive and the kind of friend I don’t deserve!! It’s comforting to know that no matter how long it’s been we can just pick up where we left off.  It’s been a pleasure getting to know the rest of your family as well.  I’m super sad to miss Ganza this year and will try very, very hard to make it in the future!!

Mandy & Deb it has been a joy getting to know you through Kristina and Jen!!  It’s amazing how you can get a group of gals together and everyone just “clicks”!! That’s all of us!!  We share our role as “mom” and a friendship with my dear Jen and K!!

So all friends out there…don’t wait and learn the lesson how I did.  Get together with your friends!! Schedule it!!! Make it a regular part of your life…once very other month, every 3 months…something!!  It’s time you will never regret spending.  It will recharge you to be better in all the other areas of your life…DO IT!!! So girls…do it…for me, but unfortunately without me…

Love to each of you!!!