These are the times to remember...cause they will not last forever...

Remember that song.

I do.  It was my prom song actually.

This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever.
These are the days to hold onto
Cause we won't although we'll want to.
This is the time, but time is going to change.

It some how seems so fitting for this blog.

Here's the thing...I haven't really been blogging lately.

I mean...I've done a linky party here and there.

but really blogging.

Nope. 

Cause I've been in kind of a rotten mood.

for a really long time.

and I haven't been able to get out of it.

This funk.

It's been sticking to me like glue.

but.

Then this weekend came.  I have been looking forward to this weekend for. 

Well...

FOREVER.

and this weekend.  Well....

I think it was just the thing..

to get me out of that funk..

Way back when...When Reilly was a wee little thing...way way way back...when she was in kindergarten.  She met Chelsey.  From day one they were inseparable.  They sat together on the rug.  They read together.  They colored together.  They played together.  They very quickly became besties...

along the way...they grew up...but never apart. 

They made different friends... Found different interests....were put in different classes...

but they always came back to each other.

They are super secure in their friendship...they know...they always have each other.

and the very very best part of their friendship...

is they brought two families together.

It didn't happen over night.

It kind of grew gradually.

It started with little chats at sleepover drop offs.

Calling to talk about car pooling...and then talking about everything under the sun...

and then one day...

Our families were hanging out.

Barbecuing.

And then last year.

We decided to go camping together.

It was fantastic.

Everyone had so much fun...

So this year we planned two more trips...

This was the first one...this year.

I know when I look back...on these years....these times..

When I look back.  I will remember how these times were some of the happiest times of my life.

When I look back I will be so grateful that those two girls met.

And that they knew a good thing when they saw it.

And that they held onto each other and the friend they found in each other.

Because when it comes right down to it.

If these two girls hadn't met...

none of this would be possible.

So I would like to personally thank you.

Thank you for bringing these two families together.

Thank you for the memories. Thank you for one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

My best friend.

It isn't easy to "make friends" at my age.

I mean you met people.

You talk to people....

but a true friend....

they don't really come along all that often.

When this one did.

I lucked out.

This chick.

She's got my back.

My kids call her Mom...

and I don't mind....

She treats them like her own.

She would do anything for me.

and has.

I can be honest with her...

about things...

I don't want to be honest with anyone about.

She has a heart of gold.

Here's the thing.

I always had this idea that you met your best friends when you were young.

You know..those people (like my Reilly and her Chelsey) who meet their best friend in kindergarten...

or those people who meet up in high school and never grow apart...

That was my idea of a best friend.

Well I met Shan when I was 27 years old.

It means so much to me to have someone I can count on.

Someone who knows I am crazy and loves me anyway.

I am not really sure what I did to deserve her...

but I can tell you I don't know what I would do without her.

All I do know...

Is that being with her is easy...

It's comfortable...

I can be myself....

I know...

That she accepts me for who I am.

and the feeling is very mutual.

I think maybe when we're younger we take those relationships for granted.

We expect people to be good friends...

and then if they aren't we are surprised...

but when we get older...

I think we hope for people to be good friends...

and then wait for them to prove us wrong....

I didn't expect to find this friendship.

I wasn't looking for it.

As a matter of fact...

to be honest it kind of snuck up on me...

but I gotta say...

I'm pretty freakin lucky...

To have her on my side..

To talk about all the teenage girl drama with...

To drive all over the flippin North East to watch Cheer leading Competitions with...

To car pool with...

To keep me sane...

and...

most of all...

to have my back.

Love you my Shan!