Make new friends, but keep the old...

What is it about old friends that we all love? Is it the ease of conversation, the realization that the passage of time has proven they're not going to desert us now, or the joy of reliving old stories? When the triplets were born, our lives became a bit overwhelming. It was all we could do to get DH to finish his MBA while working full-time and to feed three hungry little angels every 3-4 hours. By the time they were active toddlers, a new baby was on the way. Travel was limited and so we went years without seeing many of our favorite people. This is not because we didn't want to see them, it was simply because our home life was very demanding and wonderful at the same time. I often miss those sweet days with no preschool or school to attend and plenty of time to paint a picture or play in the yard or snuggle and read books. Of course we still do those things, but many times they take place on weekends due to the school day hours. DH & I went years without seeing many of you, our sweet old friends. Friendships that have stood the test of time are so wonderful and important. Thankfully we are finally starting to be able to see some old friends again. Our time is still limited, and we don't always get to see everyone we'd like to see in a town like Atlanta or Dallas, but we're starting to have opportunities for quick visits, hugs, and laughs. We just returned from such a trip to Dallas.

Dh & I were married in 1995 and I moved to Dallas, Texas, to join my new husband in a new life out west. We lived in Irving, TX for the first year and then moved into Dallas. We made lifelong friends during our 3 years in Dallas. Those first years of marriage are such a great time to make new friends. While new jobs are demanding, you have a lot of flexibility in the evenings and on weekends and plenty of time to cultivate new friendships. That is exactly what we did. Most of these friends are not just "Christmas Card friends" but friends we consider to be some of our closest friends. We made more close friends when we moved to Raleigh in 1998 and still didn't have any children. So, it was high time to see some of these dear friends. Delta offered a cheap fare and we bought 2 tickets for the quickest trip ever to DFW. We didn't have time to see all of our old friends as we would have enjoyed, but we visited with our 3 closest families and had a ball. We laughed and reminisced and just enjoyed time together.

Now we live away from our dear Raleigh friends too. It has been years since we have seen some of our college friends. I love our new friends in Tampa, and am enjoying getting to know them better and better. Making new friends has made me desire to reconnect with old friends too. So, if you are one of those old friends, watch out!! My next airfare deal may be a trip to see YOU!! And, if you have lost touch with old friends, spend the next month reconnecting. Write an email or send a handwritten letter (my favorite) or pick up the phone and give them a call.

When DH's sweet Daddy died we were amazed that old friends drove all the way from Texas to Macon, Georgia just for the funeral and visitation. One of them was fighting cancer and they were in their 70s, but they came to say goodbye to their old friend. A relationship with the Lord, then a strong family relationship, and then your friends are what life is all about. I know I'm waxing sentimental, but reach out to those old friends!!!! I sure do love mine!!!

It's Summer!!!

We had a great first night of summer. We took the children to Algusto, a GREAT Mexican restaurant in Tampa, FL on Kennedy Avenue. They do not cook with lard but use olive oil instead. You could taste the difference. We had to splurge on the white cheese dip, and it was some of the best we've ever had!! DH & I love to share fajitas, so we did that. The children loved their burrito, quesadilla, and chicken soft taco. It was just what the doctor ordered!

Afterwards we stopped by the home of some dear friends here. Their 3 children are the ages of our 5, and the children have become fast friends. Our D was in tears that she would not see their E for a month because of opposite travel schedules. We stopped by in hopes of inviting E or E & her family for ice cream. The children enjoyed running through their grass, just as you should on a cool summer evening. Then we all met at Coldstone Creamery for ice cream. For just $1.69 the children each had their own kiddie scoop of ice cream and it proved to be more than enough!! We had a fun time watching the children giggle and drip ice cream everywhere, while J & I tried to sneak in a conversation. Our husbands enjoyed uninterrupted conversations:) while we tamed the crowd!!

We drove home for bath and bedtime, and everyone quickly fell asleep. We are thankful for the perfect kickoff to a great summer!!!