Old Friends.

I have spent some good and long overdue (like decades overdue) time with old friends this summer.

Dec and Nonie are perplexed by the idea that mom has friends. Mom has "non-family-member" friends. Can't blame them really. Nearly 100% of their days and mine, are spent with family. It is unusual when we spend time outside our DNA circle.

Are you sure they are not our Aunts that we're visiting today? Dec queries on our long car ride to my college roommate reunion. Despite his initial hesitation, I think he was quite pleased to find that my old friends showered him with attention and warmth. So much so that by the end of the night it felt like they were family.

2 hours into the party, the 10 years we'd just spent apart from each other had dissipated.

3 hours into the party, the college style antics and banter had commenced.

Old Friends.

Just the other night, in the midst of her east coast whirlwind adventure - a dear friend originally from Australia and more recently from Maine crashed upon our quiet house and entertained the kids to no end. The children were so smitten with her every move. Dec even offered up his most prized Cars toy and Nonie tried to stand in the bathroom with her while she showered. On her way out the door and back up to Maine, each child tried to out-do the other by quickly drawing pictures for her and shoving them into the half empty duffle on the front porch.

Old Friends.

These short, but sweet summertime visits have reminded me that I don't need more friends.

I don't really need new friends.

What I do need is to make time for the friends I have.

They make me laugh (really, really hard).

Just a few minutes with them and I learn a lot. A ton. About myself.

We have so much in common.

Dear Old Friends,

I am grateful for you.