When Costumes Were Plastic...or Pajamas

Kids today don't know how lucky that have it.

That could be applied to MANY things these days.

But, right now, I'm talking about Halloween costumes!

It used to be that you either bought a plastic costume with the flimsy plastic mask or you wore some of your regular clothes in a creative way to make a costume. Unless you were lucky enough to have a mom who could sew.

My kids have been dinosaurs, bunnies, knights, firefighters, cute monsters(as opposed to scary), giraffes, and monkeys. All adorable costumes. Purchased, of course. My excuse for not sewing is that there are so many cute costumes out there, that it's okay to buy. Plus, you know, I can't sew.

I'm linking up with the SITS Girls today for a Halloween blast from the past and showing you one of my old costumes. In case you didn't know, they have the best blogging tips! Honestly, a lot of the credit for my blog growing the way it has in the past year goes to them. (I had about 50 readers in early October last year- and then I discovered SITS!)  Oh, and Tiffany is pretty.

Back to Halloween: One year, I was Minnie Mouse. With a cute dress straight from my closet that had Minnie printed all over it and a plastic Minnie mask. Another year I was Smurfette, with a blue turtleneck, blue tights, white slip with Smurfette printed on it, and a Smurfette mask. Another year, I was Cheer Bear: the plastic costume and mask, of course.

But, the picture I have to share with you is from 1980. Yup, THIRTY YEARS AGO.  I was three. Yes, I'll totally flaunt my age. Being in your thirties is FABULOUS, you know!

I was Strawberry Shortcake.

I wore my Strawberry Shortcake nightgown and my mom found me a red wig and some sort of hat that was supposed to look something like Miss Shortcake's. Except that I'm pretty sure that it was a plastic shower cap.

Lord only knows what my brother was supposed to be.

Do you have a favorite or at least memorable Halloween costume from when you were growing up? Share with me in the comments or write your own post about it and link it up with SITS.


There is a contest to win a fabulous camera going on over there. That I'm not too proud to beg for. Since my camera is completely dead. After just 15 months. This is where I point out that *I* was not the one who wanted to get anything other than a Canon. That was Hubs. GRRRRRR! See, me winning the Canon camera from SITS- would not only give me a fabulous camera to take pics of my kids(stuck with disposables for now!), but it would let me be all obnoxious and prove to Hubs that I'm right and that Canons are always better.

Ooooooh, Baby- That Feels GOOD!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO JOINED ME FOR THE TWITTER CHAT/PARTY THIS MORNING! YOU ROCK!!!! Just a brief announcement before I get to today's post: what are you doing this morning from 10:30-11:30am EST? Please join me for a twitter chat! I'm not hosting, but I'm the featured blogger and came up with the topics. If you've never tried a twitter party, this would be a great one to start with because it won't have the insane pace of the larger ones. All you have to do is go HERE at 10:30am. You can join in for any or all of the hour long chat. PLEASE JOIN ME!

Last Wednesday night, Hubs and I were spending quality time together in the living room together- he was on the couch, snoring away, while I was on the loveseat, watching SYTYCD and reading blogs. So You Think You Can Dance for those of you who haven't discovered the wonder that is Pasha. *DROOL*.


All of a sudden, I felt this pain on the back of my leg. Like something was biting me and trying to bite its way into my skin and find a way to live inside my thigh.


I screamed, jumped up, tore my shorts off, and swiped furiously at the back of my leg. Hubs kept right on snoring. Once he reaches that deep level of sleep, there is no waking him.


I was dancing around the living room, without any of the grace of the dancers on the tv screen in front of me, hoping that this was not some sort of alien killer bug that was going to paralyze me with pain and then take over my brain.


Sound insane? I know, I know, but it hurt really badly and I couldn't actually see what was going on back there.


Turns out it was a spider bite. I'd take a picture and show you the huge, swollen nasty thing that has been left behind on my leg....but, well, it is really gross. And, while it's in an area that you would be able to see if I had on my bathing suit, I would definitely give you the evil eye if I saw you staring at that particular part of my body. So, just take my word for it, okay?


What does this have to do with my post title? Well, it made me think of another spider bite that I got back when Hubs and I first met.


That one was on the front of my leg, sort of down near my knee. That time, the whole area near the bite turned very hard and a weird blue-ish color.


That one didn't hurt as much as this one did, but OMG, did it itch.


And I was told by my roommate/NC Mama that I was NOT to itch it.


But, I could see it and it taunted me- itch me, itch me, you know you'd feel better if you just itched me.


I actually managed to do pretty good with this, even though I really wanted to scratch it. Soooo badly. Though, mainly, this was only because someone would stop me. Either my NC Mama or her son(my baby bro), or even my students.


So, I thought: Oh, wait, I know: I won't itch it, but I'll take a shower....and that part of my leg must be really dirty...I better clean it really well to make sure that there isn't some sort of leftover spider toxic venom that will turn me into Spiderwoman or something.


So, oh, wonderful scrubby puff....come to mama.

NC mama and baby bro were on the other side of the house, so I took my time with my shower and "cleaning" my spider bite.


I really got into it....and it felt sooooooo good. Good enough that I was, well, moaning a bit like I was auditioning for an adult film. Totally involuntary reaction.


But, all of a sudden, the bathroom door opened, Hubs/then-guy-that-I-was-just-hanging-out-with-and-not-even-dating-but-who-would-just-drop-by-the-house-so-that-I-couldn't-tell-him-I-was-busy-if-he-called-first poked his head in and said, "Wow, can I join in?"


I instantly blushed bright red and started screaming at him to get out, get out, get out!


Completely mortified. Because I realized what I must have sounded like.


Hubs still likes to bring up that story now, almost nine years later, like it's funny or something. And I still blush.


But, when I got into the shower last weekend, with my wonderful little scrubby puff and cleaned my latest spider bite.....all Hubs did was yell in at me, "Stop scratching  your spider bite!"


Oooooooh, Baby- that feels so good!


THANK YOU to Amber at The Mom Road for telling me last week that I could put rubbing alcohol on it to get some relief. OMG, THANK YOU.


Oh, and if you haven't check out this week's Blog Friend Feature, make sure you check out Kmama's post and her blog- links are in the sidebar!

What I Learned

Once again, "wisdom" from my 21 year-old self, courtesy of my college journal. This particular entry was written the day after my college graduation.


I'm actually dedicating this post isn't that kind of cheesy? oh, well, I'm still doing it to Brittany Ciara at Not Your Average Teen who is graduating high school today. She had asked for letters to be sent to her to open after she graduates. Words of wisdom.


I'm a total slacker and never sent her anything. Besides, I thought that any advice that I'd give would make me sound like a crabby old lady and would be something that would have made a teenaged me roll my eyes. But, I thought this was appropriate.


So, Brittany, this is what I wish I could have done differently in college, right after it was over.  I hope you can read it and learn from my mistakes.


For the rest of you...well, you get another peek into my world from back then...

5/19/1999

If  had college to do all over again:

-I'd be less afraid.

-I'd be more involved.

-I'd study less.

-I wouldn't procrastinate.

-I'd realize that grades aren't that important.

-I'd fall in love more and be heartbroken less.

-I'd be easier on myself.

-I'd have learned earlier that nothing is really as big of a deal as I think it is.


Attitude is what I'd change. Sure, there were events that happened that never should have happened Or ones that I wish would have happened, but really, the events of it make up who I am and shape my attitude.


I wish that had been reversed. Instead of the events shaping my attitude, I wish that my attitude could have shaped the events.

Pour Your Heart Out: Too Many Glasses to Count

If you need more info about Pour Your Heart Out, see THIS post.

But, really, it's anything that YOU consider pouring your heart out.

Please grab the button for your post and link up!

Be sure to check out some of the links- you will find some amazing stories out there.

Again, just a brief reminder that everyone linking is pouring their hearts out and we should all be respectful in our comments. ;)

 <a href="http://thingsicantsay-shell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac246/shellthings/pouryourheartout.jpg" /></a>

When I was in high school and college, I kept journals. I wrote down all the things that were happening and my thoughts on life. Stop laughing.

When I was packing to move away from home for my first teaching job, I actually threw out my high school journals. If I remember correctly, it was a dramatic gesture on my part that I was leaving the past behind me. Or my behind in the past. Whichever.  Thank you, Lion King.

But, I kept my college journal.

Most of it is pure drivel. And I can see now, looking back, how I should have done things differently. How plain it is to see now. I want to go back in time and say to myself  "Reread what you just wrote and THINK about it!"

Mostly, it was good for a few laughs at myself as I skimmed it the other night.

But, I found this entry, written on May 15, 1999, when I was a senior in college, that is my 21 year-old self pouring her heart out. And so, that's what I'm sharing with you today. Unedited- except for the spacing. Because no one want to read a big block of text.

I'm writing this not because I'm in an especially good mood or even an especially bad one.

I'm writing for later times, when I will feel hopeless.

Because now, I have hope.

I don't know what the future holds.

I have no idea how my life will change.

But, I take comfort in the fact that it will change.

That I can never predict what will happen, but that everything happens for a reason.

What seems impossible today will seem silly later.

I have to have confidence in myself and faith that everything will be alright.

Because things can always get better.

I need to remember to have hope.

Start thinking about the Cutest Pet Contest coming next week!

Sponsored by Tooth Soap® and hosted by Supah, Chief, and yours truly.

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Before we get started, please remember to cast your daily vote for Mason! He's doing great, thanks to my wonderful bloggy friends! Link goes directly to his page, click on 5 stars, and you're done! Vote HERE

I was reading the blog Pink Moss and came across a very worthwhile project. It's no secret that I have three little boys and no girls. Well, Janae has six girls. Not that I won't have my own set of problems to deal with when my boys are teens, but teenage girls? Yikes. How do you teach your girls to see how fabulous they are?  This phrase of hers caught my attention: It is always easier to visualize the beauty and greatness held in others, than to capture it within onself.

And so, she is starting a project, where women can give their advice on how to see the beauty in themselves. This advice should come in the form of a letter to your 12 year-old self. What you wish you'd known. You can see all the details if you go to the Pink Moss link above. She is looking for more people to participate in her project- it doesn't have to be posted on any certain day. Think about it! What do you wish that someone had told you back when you were 12?

I chose not to get caught up in trying to prevent the mistakes that I made, but to focus on the outlook I wish I'd had. Attitude makes so much difference.

******

Dear Shell,

Did you know that you are beautiful? Don't roll your eyes at me. I know what a sarcastic 12 year-old you are. Listen to me: You. Are. Beautiful.

You are entering into a time in your life where you are going to compare yourself to others and find yourself coming up short. But, let me tell you a secret: you are every bit as good as everyone else.

The only difference is confidence. They have it and you don't. Learn to love yourself, accept who you are, and be yourself LOUDLY.

Those hips you complain about? Darling, you are an absolute stick. Yes, your hips stick out.- but that's just BONE. There isn't any fat on you. Please don't obssess.

When you get to college, please relax a little and have more fun than I did the first time through. Yes, grades are important, but shhhhh: no one cares at this point what our grades were back then. So, allow yourself to get lower than a B every once in a while if it means that you get to go out instead of studying. You learned this a little bit in your science classes. Yes, you, who LOVES science, will get your lowest grades in science, all because of various boys. None of them are worth the tears, btw.

I wish I could spare you the heartache that will come in your early twenties, when you fall madly in love. But, maybe it won't hurt so much, if you listen to me and have more confidence. See, you will be convinced that this man is the most beautiful man on the face of the earth and constantly be asking yourself what he is doing with you. You mistakenly put him up on a pedestal and are completely crushed when he doesn't live up to your expectations. Maybe if you have more confidence this time around, instead of asking how you could be so lucky as to have him in your life, you will ask how he could be so lucky as to have you in his.

You will have a broken heart. It will feel worse than any illness you've ever had. You will sob yourself to sleep for months. You will wonder if it will ever stop hurting. You will wish it all away.

But, you will come out on the other side of that dark time a strong and confident woman. You will decide to try new things and to be yourself. You will become much more discerning as to whom you let into your life. And, my dear, trust me when I say that you will see the life that that man makes for himself and be thankful that you are not a part of it. You will feel lucky.

You will adopt a philosophy of "Don't say no right away" which gives you permission to realize that you don't have to turn down every opportunity that comes your way. That it's okay to say yes and try new things. Just remember that your philosophy is not to say no right away, but that you can say it if you really want to.

Be on the lookout for the guy who sticks with you through all these things. The one who listens to you and whom you tell everything to, the one you aren't trying to impress. You will probably think that "oh, this is him!" a few times, but hang in there, he's coming, and he probably isn't the one you'll think at first.  He will see how special you are and help to make you feel that way, too.

I want you to know now, instead of finding out the hard way, that marriage is work. That you can't put someone else in charge of your happiness and quit when things get hard. Fight for your marriage. Because it's worth it.

So are the three beautiful boys that you will have. Yes, I'm telling you now that girls are not in your future. Maybe if you know this now, you will be adjusted to the idea by the time you have them. They will be the loves of your life.

You'll have ups and downs in your life. Friends whom you thought you could count on will turn their backs on you. Family members will let you down.

Though, you'll also make amazing friends and do things that you never expected to be able to do.

You get through it all, a confident woman. I remember being you and it was the uncertainty of how things were going to work out that caused you to stumble. Maybe, after reading this, and knowing that you do make it through it all, that will be enough to give you the confidence to make your way through our life with your head held high.

Time passes much faster than you think and when you look back, those things that you think are such a big deal at the time, you will hardly even remember. It's the big adventures or the small meaningful moments that will stick out. The rest is a blur. Try not to worry. Try to have fun. That's what I wish: that I'd had more fun. Don't be me. Have that fun.

P.S. Could you please make sure that someone takes plenty of pictures of us when you are 24? Trust me, you'll want them later.

Why I Never Saw Him Again

Some of you asked for the rest of the story to yesterday's post and why I never saw Gabriel again.

I hadn't included it in that post because A) it makes for a less romantic story and B) it would have been an extremely long post.

There's a reason that movies end with the music swelling and the couple kissing/riding off into the sunset...the afterwards isn't always as glamorous.

But, for those of you who asked....

Gabriel left the next morning for Minnesota, where he lived. I was in NC.

We did talk a little on the phone and email some. Keep in mind that this was 2001 so there wasn't quite as much social media....at least, not that I was aware of, anyway.

He encouraged me to come visit him.

I didn't want to.

Well, okay, I wanted to.

Because he'd danced with me on the beach. SIGH.

And he was HOT.

But....

I didn't really know him and flying halfway across the country to see someone that I had only spent a few hours with seemed a little insane.

I also knew what it was like to pick up my life and move for someone. Not that he was asking me to move, but I guess I was just DONE with being the one to go to extraordinary measures for someone.

Oh, and I was still in love with X. Blech, gag, stupid: but you know I'm all about honesty here.

And so...time passed.

We would still talk occasionally.

I guess the final time that he called was right before my wedding to Hubs. It had been months since I'd talked to him at that point.

My roommate was the one to talk to him. My roommate who was kind of impressed that he actually existed, since she'd heard the same story that I told y'all yesterday and was under the impression that perhaps I'd had a bit too much to drink or sat out in the sun too long and was making him up because really, he seemed too good to be true and Gabriel- seriously?

He was calling to say that he was coming into town and wanted to see me. My roommate let him know that I was getting married...I think it was the next week.

I don't think that she actually told me this until after my wedding, though. Not that I would have done anything crazy, but she might have been worried that I'd get all dramatic and say that it must be a sign and end up running away with Gabriel or something.

Not that I would have done that. But, it's probably for the best that that theory wasn't put to the test.

You all know that I love Hubs.

Anyway, that's the end of the story.

And that's why the story ended where it did yesterday. Not quite the romance that the beginning of the story promised.

I'm still grateful to Gabriel, wherever he is.


And I do believe that people come into our lives for a reason. It just might not be the reason that we originally think.

The Reunion Pic: Thank God for Growing Up and Getting Better With Age

In case you missed this post, where I was crazy-happy about the pic in my alumni magazine from my college 10-year class reunion, I'll just tell you that I was thrilled that I actually looked cute.

College me= AWKWARD

Me now= FABULOUS

Okay, okay, I wouldn't go that far. But, I do look much better than I did back then. And have ten tons more confidence. Maybe too much. ;)

Since some of you asked, I thought I'd share it with you. Really, people asked me to show the pic. Check the comments from that post if you don't believe me. I'm not just making stuff up as an excuse to show you one of the few good pics of me in existence.

Here's the whole class shot: If you happen to know what college this is or if by some freak fluke, you actually attended this college and were in my class, I'll die laughing at what a small world it is, since I went to a tiny private college.

The scanned copy doesn't quite capture my cuteness, since my right arm sort of blends in with my sweater here, and it's a little blurry, but I'm okay with that, since the actual pic floating around out there is better.

So, there it is. I can look back and remember fondly my carefree college-days that didn't seem care-free at the time but what the hell did I know back then: the safe little bubble I lived in, where there weren't really any real problems or responsibilities. Where getting up early meant having an 8am class. Where friends were always right there, either down the hall or across the quad.

But, I can say that I don't look back with regret and wish I looked like I did back then or was the person I was back then again.

Nope, I'll take the confident, fabulous woman I have turned into.

Disclaimer: you have to understand the extent of my college-days awkwardness and insecurity to be able to understand that I'm really not that full of myself now. For those of you who are entering Dumb Mom's Blog Dawg contest, let me just tell you that if I submitted a college pic, I'd win, hands down. So more than a celebration of fabulousness, it's a celebration of no longer being the girl who would automatically win the awkward photo contest.

A Shove Down Memory Lane

I didn't think I would be writing today.

Like many of you, I thought I'd take a few days off for Christmas, getting things ready and spending time with family.

But, then, once again, I was shoved down memory lane.

No one called me Emmy this time, although I'm sure she had to make a concerted effort not to.

My old friend Dee(as in D is her first initial- you didn't think I'd actually use a name on here, did you?), sent me a Christmas card the other day.

I just adore her.

But, we have lost touch.

I met her because her husband was best friends with X.

And we became fast friends.

She was supposed to be matron of honor in the wedding-that-didn't-happen.

I tried on the wedding dress that didn't-otherwise-see-the-light-of-day with her.

When I was leaving X, which required a move far away, X, D, D's husband, and I went to lunch together shortly before I left.

D's husband opened the truck door for me afterwards, firmly shut the door to the truck and then he and D attacked X.

"If you let her leave, it will be the stupidest thing you've ever done. And that is saying a lot."

On and on they went.

Even to the point of telling him that they didn't know if they could be friends with him any more if he let me go.

They knew that I loved him with all my being.

But, that I was only leaving because it was too painful to stay. And that was his fault.

They wanted him to fix it.

For quite a while, we stayed in touch.

Because we would have been friends no matter how we met.

They even stopping spending much time with X, disgusted with him.

But, we tried to talk about everything except X.

It became the gigantic, 3 ton, 2-headed, fuchsia with lime green polka dots elephant in the room...who had bad gas...and was sitting on us.

Just way too obvious and painful.

So, we slowly lost touch, only a card here or there.

But, I did miss her.

And now, we're fb friends.

At least enough time as passed that I can look back on that time as bittersweet memories, instead of with any regret.

Because I love Hubs and my boys and wouldn't trade them for anything.

And, this time around, I'm packing an elephant gun.

That's Not Me Anymore

Having 3 boys under the age of 5 at the playground tends to keep me occupied.



I don't really notice other things. Just constantly count my boys to be sure I know where they are. 1...2...where's?...oh!...3, 1...2...3...



So, I might not notice someone calling my name from across the playground.


I'm not intentionally being rude by not answering you, I'm just busy.



But, if you call me by a name that no one has called me in over 8 years, I won't even look in your direction.



Yet, it happened on the playground last week.



"Emmy? I thought that was you!"



Blank stare at the girl heading across the playground towards me, toddler planted on her hip.



"It's Michelle," I stammer.



"No, it's Sarah, don't you remember me?" I blink and let her think that I got her name wrong, not that I'm correcting her.



She probably never knew me as anything other than "Emmy."



And I really don't want to explain to this girl why that isn't me anymore.



She plops down on the bench near where I'm standing and proceeds to tell me all that she has been up to since we last saw each other. I vaguely remember that she was married to someone who worked under my X.



I'm not paying much attention to her, still counting my boys to be sure they are all where they are supposed to be, but I'm starting to get lost in thought.



Lost in memories.

Luckily, Monkey rescues me by racing over to remind me that I promised that he and Bear could throw stones down by the sound.

I smile and excuse myself from Sarah, plunk Cub in his stroller and head off towards the water to let the boys try to skip rocks(aka try to make the biggest splash possible).

Sitting beside the stroller, with the two bigs throwing rocks right beside me(close enough to grab should they decide to go for a swim), I let myself think about Emmy.

And of course, that leads me back to X.

A long, long, long, long time ago, I loved him. Anytime I think of him, I think of a line from a Poe poem: "We loved with a love that was more than love." He's the McSteamy character in my life, though I married McDreamy(whom I love very much, btw...I can't help that I got hit over the head with this memory)

One day, when we had been dating for about 6 months or so, as we were taking a walk, arms wrapped around each other, he squeezed me and said, "One day, you'll be me."

I laughed and asked, "I'll be you?"

"No, you'll be ME. Your initials, after we get married, will be ME. M....E.....Emmy. I think I like that better."

And so I became Emmy.

That's how he would introduce me to people. And it was always with a wink or with a squeeze of my hand or my waist. It was his way of reminding me that he wanted to marry me.

We did get engaged.

Started planning our wedding.

It didn't work out.

Too much time has passed now to really even explain it.

But, it ended.

And I was heartbroken.

One of the last conversations I had with him, he said, "I'll always love you, Em..." and he broke off, knowing that he shouldn't call me Emmy anymore.

I laughed through all my tears and agreed that that was who I was now: "Just M. I'll never be M.E."

Looking at my 3 beautiful little boys, I'm glad that I never did become Emmy.

The most important name change that ever happened for me was when I became their Mommy.

Memories of a Place

I usually suffer from CRS. I blame my kids. Better them than getting older.

But, certain things can trigger memories for me.

Songs can.

So can being in the same place where things happened.

I feel like I'm being bombarded by memories this week.

Even though Hubs and I lived down here together for about 5 years, we were a few towns over.

But, I did live here before.

I moved here the day after I turned 22 to start teaching. After only seeing the area for a few hours.

Yesterday, I drove past the cute little place where I used to live alone(ok, semi-alone, but I'll get to that...maybe).

Suddenly, I remembered my attempt to rollerblade down my street that went horribly wrong when a rock got stuck in between the wheels and I busted up my knees and palms. If you had asked me before yesterday, I would have told you I'd never even owned rollerblades.

Another memory: opening up the door to find a bouquet of roses that were the most beautiful shade of pink I'd ever seen.

The phone ringing late at night and having it be a crazed cheerleading mom wanting to know why her daughter was placed where she was in the newest dance.

Another late night phone call. This one from somewhere in Ireland, from my boyfriend who was on his way to Greece and wanted to tell me that he loved me.

It's so odd when I think back at all that happened so long ago.

It's like it happened to someone else.

Ten years can seem like no time at all and like a whole lifetime ago at the same time.

Best Friends

I kind of hesitate to use that term, since it seems silly to use it as an adult, but it's accurate, so I'm going to not care that I sound childish.

My best friend and I met when we were in preschool. We have a darling pic of the two of us at the Christmas program in our frilly holiday dresses.

We were friends from then through high school. Not always the best of friends. Sometimes we were in different classes and sometimes we were in different circles. We never had any major fights, we just would kind of drift apart sometimes, but always come back together.

When I went away to college, we lost touch.

I'm not really sure why. Just headed in different directions, I guess.

We would think about each other often(I have later found out) and try to get in touch, but it wouldn't work or we would feel stupid about calling someone however many years later.

But, about a year ago, we ran into each other at the peds office.

She has two boys, almost exactly the same ages as my oldest two.

But, we acted all stupid and didn't exchange any sort of contact info.

Then, in February, I broke down and joined in the FB addiction and we found each other on there.

Since then, we have become inseparable.

At least one playdate a week for our kids, somewhere where we can easily keep an eye on them so that we can talk. And talk. And talk.

In the almost 14 years that we did not talk, we have found out that despite not talking to each other, we had very similar experiences.

We got engaged within months of each other.

We decided to cheat on the guys we were engaged to so that we would then be forced to end engagements that we knew weren't right. (I know- how awful! And it's something that is hard to explain unless you were in the situation, but since we both did the same thing, we totally understand each other)...oh, and we both did this rather appalling thing within a month of each other.

Both broke off our engagements in the same week as the other. Her, with relief; me, with a broken heart.

Both got engaged again in the same month.(not to the same guys that we were previously engaged to)

Married within months of each other.

Had our first and second boys within months of each other. Too bad she doesn't have a counterpart to my Cub, though.

Oh, and that won't happen b/c our dhs got snipped within months of each other, too. Ahaha.

Looking back, we think why the heck weren't we talking?

Granted, we lived far apart for the majority of that time, but how comforting it would have been to have someone who really understood what the other was going through.

It seems like such a waste that we weren't there for each other for so long.

And now, of course, I'm moving away.

She's pretty much the only non-family member that I expect to come visit, despite claims from other friends. And the only friend that I will be sure to visit when we are back up here, visiting my family.

This last bit is going to sound a little bit after-school-special-ish and disconnected, but I'm going to say it anyway.
If there is anyone in your life that you were close to, I urge you to find them and see if you can reconnect. I so wish that we had done that sooner.