Mini-Reunions

Since we've been back in the Wake Forest/Raleigh area, we've been able to reconnect with lots of old friends that we haven't been able to see regularly in the past. I love that even though time has passed and we've all become busier as our lives (and spare time!) fill up with marriages, jobs, pregnancies, moves, and babies, we still get together and see how much and how little has changed, and how much we still like each other!

In April we were able to go to Cary for the wedding of a sweet friend of mine, Liz, whom I've known since my middle school youth group days. It was so incredible to see each of these ladies, our core group of childhood friends, all grown up! We are each in different stages of work and marriage and having children, but these girls are all still the incredible people and wonderful friends I've known since I was about 10 years old:
I thought about digging out a picture to show how long we really have known each other, but for the sake of sparing us (mostly myself!) embarrassment of those awkward early years, I'll resist- just take it from me that we've seen each other grow from fashionably-challenged kids to lovely women!

Last week, we had dinner with two of my best friends from high school and their husbands (technically 3 of my friends from high school, since one of the husbands was good friends with us before they ever got married!) and had a blast together! We grilled out some amazing rosemary artichoke-stuffed chicken, and just caught up for hours. We laughed so hard around the dinner table telling embarrassing stories about each other! Hard to believe that we are all suddenly old enough to be having babies...

Also last week, a good friend of Matt's from middle school was in town and stopped by with his family to hang out with us for a little while. Our daughters are two days apart in age, and it has been so cool to be able share parenting strategies and advice and to see our two little girls playing together! It's always so fun to see Kenna be able to interact with another baby so close in age. Even though Asheton and Tracey live in South Carolina, hopefully these girls will still get the chance to be friends!

At first it was like they didn't even realize there was another baby nearby:
Then they were sharing toys, rolling over each other, and trying out a little poking/pinching that we had to mediate a bit:
...but they had a great time together! (and Kenna told me she is jealous of Bailey's totally rockin' hair).
Daddies and daughters.