A quick visit

I am really fortunate to have friends like these.  Here we are, freshman year in Owens Dining Hall.

First of all, if you've been wondering if fashion has changed all that much in the last 10 years, the answer is yes.  Second of all, we were babies in this picture.  Since when do they allow babies into college??  Third of all, while I would try to style it a little better now, where did my curly hair go?  Come back to me, I'll be nicer this time around I promise.

Anyway, those little baby freshmen became close friends became roommates became long distance friends, and 10 years later we're still going strong.  For any of my former students in college now or heading to college in the fall, THESE are the kinds of people to look for.  Friends with strong character that stick by you and care for you over time and distance.  I'll give you specific friend criteria if you want it, and suggestions on the places to find (or places NOT to find) good friends.  The friends you pick could be some of the best or worst decisions you'll make, and determine a lot about how your college experience unfolds (and more importantly, the longterm type of person you become after college).

I digress.

I haven't really forgiven Elissa yet for moving to the west coast, and probably never will.  But thankfully this past week she had reason to come home to visit her family in North Carolina, and of course we couldn't let that opportunity pass us by.  Dionne also lives in NC, so the three of us met up for a quick overnight visit along with our three daughters who are 18, 12, and 8 months old.

Here is a hilarious photo sequence from our last visit in December when they were 13, 7, and 3 months:

Fast forward just 5 months:

Such dolls!!  And the blonde one was a little more chilled out this time!

The visit was quick, but well worth it.  When you hang out with 3 kids 18 months and under, you don't DO a lot, but that means you get to talk a lot, and thanks to Elissa's personal chef dad, we ate like queens and didn't lift a finger.  It was awesome.  Addison was obsessed with an American Girl doll with crazy hair (she could empathize, I think).  She really loved pushing her around in the stroller, bringing her toys to play with, and feeding her food.  The real message: "Get me a sibling. Like, yesterday."
 

 

At one point I exclaimed something like, "GUYS!  These are our KIDS!!"  It's pretty crazy to feel like it was just been a few months ago that you were staying up until 2am laughing and doing stupid antics, feeling "sooo stressed out" about classes, and imagining what life after college will look like.

But it wasn't just a couple months ago - and here we are, in that "life after college" that you imagine but never really think will come.  But it has come, and it's good.  Really good!!  As I watch Blacksburg go insane gearing up for graduation 2013, I am so thankful for friendships that have lasted well beyond our graduation.