Oct. 15, 2006: Girls' Weekend

It's been an annual fall event in some form or fashion for years and years. Used to be, years ago, our husbands would go on a September rafting trip and we moms and kids would hang out for the weekend. The dads ended their rafting trips several years ago as more kids were born and careers kicked into full gear, but I look forward to October each year when my two best college girlfriends, Tracy and Angie, come for the weekend.



It is hard to absorb that we have had this amazing friendship for 19 years. We have grown together from wild college girls to brides to the full weight of motherhood in these past two decades. It's been almost 15 years since any of the three of us lived together or even near each other, but our lives remain intertwined. There is something so precious about having friends that share your past. We know where we've been and where we are now, and we love each other in spite of it all.
Our weekend was a flurry of soccer games, meal preparations, a little shopping, and meeting the basic needs of seven children, but we did get plenty of time for chatting. We get a kick out of how much our girls look like us and get a photo like this each year, although they are all changing more each year and looking more and more like their daddies.



That's me with Laurel (9), Tracy with Savannah (4 1/2), and Angie with Evie (almost 5). We really did take pictures of the boys, too, but with 7 kids at the same time, it was impossible to get a decent shot of everyone.
A weekend with the girls was a great way to end our fall break week. I'm refreshed and ready to get back to my regular life.