goodbyes

Goodbyes are so hard and we had a doozy the other day. My dear, dear, best friend here in Naples moved with her sweet family to Jacksonville and boy was it hard to say Goodbye. Ann and her kiddos have been our companions up to 4 times a week for the last 2 years (give or take :), and now they are over 6 hours away. This is going to take some getting use to for me and especially little Gracie Girl, who talks about Avila an average of 20 times a day.

Avila and Grace showing off their painted nails.

Since being married, I have realized that making friends, close friends at that, can be a hard task. You would think 2 hours at the park, no prob -- we will have time to at least exchanged our life stories. But moms, and this one in particular, spend 1 hour and 56 1/2 minutes of that time juggling snacks and drinks, changing diapers, fixing boo-boos, getting more snacks, nursing, pushing one child on the swing, while yelling over to the others to stop fighting, and then mores snacks (just hoping to eliminate any form of melt down). So... my conversations are sometimes limited to 10 words and 3 sentences interspersed throughout and often times yelled over crying kids.  It takes time, many play dates, dinners at the house, date night with couples, etc to build friendship when your married with kids.

Could a sweet face like this ever be caught whining?

Or this?

Man, those college days of roomies, talking through the night, partaking in adult beverages, all while not being interrupted by crying, whining, or weird smelling odors--- I definitely took those days for granted, but how did I know what was to come... and really I wouldn't change it for the world (wink, wink).

I have been blessed, abundantly blessed, with my HS friends, college friends, and now Mommy friends who have taken the time to get to know me and my kiddos... but Ann, my friend who "just get's it" and gets me and my family, we will miss sharing daily life with you!! Tonight I am cheers-ing you with my glass of San's Sabastian and can't wait until we see you in Orlando :).