Friends - then and now

Think back to where you were in 1988... for me, that was the year I graduated from 8th grade. Yes, we had an actual graduation ceremony, and we got all dressed up too. I realize it's odd, but when you go to the same school for 8 years, with essentially the same thirty people, it's a big deal when you graduate!

So, to commemorate that joyous occasion, we had a reunion last weekend! Two "old" friends, Carrie and Ann, and I had been in charge of organizing it, and even that process was fun, as it reconnected us with a lot of people we hadn't spoken to in a very long time, and had us digging for old pictures and memorabilia. The reunion itself was pretty simple; we went to the church festival during the day and took a tour of the school, and that night met at a local establishment for dinner and a few cocktails.

Since I realize it's not so interesting to anyone but me and my classmates, I won't bore you with the details. I'll just say I had a great time, remembering what was really a wonderful time period of my life, and creating some new memories. Cheers to old friends!!!

Perhaps you'll enjoy this flashback - the girls basketball team in '88, and us now!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I also have to reflect on how much we enjoy seeing Zach with our families, since we've recently had the opportunities to spend time with Scott's family in MT, and mine in Milwaukee. It's really amazing to see how quickly he connects with them, especially now that he clearly remembers them from one visit to the next. One of the funnier moments was when Zach woke up Sunday morning in Milwaukee. First I heard his little voice coming from the pack-n-play in the other room saying "mama? mama?" Then he paused, and said "Man-nee?" Another pause, and then, "gram-ma?" Poor kid was running though the possibilities of who might come and get him out of bed, since he'd been sleeping in so many different places the last few weeks. I had to laugh!

But, I do have to say, if we aren't fortunate enough to have our families close by, we couldn't be any luckier than to have the friends we have. Especially lately... here is just a sample of the help we have asked for from our friends:
- Can you watch Zach while we house-hunt?
- Can you watch Koskie while we go to Montana?
- Can you give us a ride to the airport?

And, of course, we all know the biggest favor is coming up in a few weeks - help moving! No one likes to move, themselves or anyone else, since nothing about the process could be considered fun. But the amazing thing is... we didn't even have to ask. Once they heard we bought a new house, our friends asked us when we were moving, and then every single one of them said - I'll be there. Does it get any better than that???