First Flashback Friday!!

This is one of my favorite pictures!!! This is me and my best friend, Megan. This picture was taken in her backyard by either her mom or dad. I'm sure we were having some sort of picnic with our dolls! I can see a corner of the blanket behind us. We've been friends for somewhere close to 24 years!

We met when my family moved into the same neighborhood as hers . She lived just up the hill from my house and we became instant friends. To tell you the truth, it's been so long ago I don't really even remember our first meeting. I do remember all the priceless memories we made from that day on though. I cannot even express how blessed I feel to have such a kind, generous and loyal best friend. The thing about Megan is that she's so kind-hearted, she never seems to get mad or hold a grudge about anything. In all the years I've known her, we've almost never been in a fight. You know when you're in high school and personalities can tend to clash? Well, never with Megan and I. I don't know if it's just because we're so much alike that we get along so well, OR just because God made us to be best friends. The special thing about our friendship is that in elementary school and middle school, it grew to include three other girls...Audra, Amber and Christie! The five of us call ourselves the BFE's (we can tell you what it stands for, but then we'd have to kill you). We are all blessed to have a rare treasure...a friendship that I know will last a lifetime! Oh my, will we be a crazy group of old ladies having coffee and gossip at the coffee shop on Friday mornings in 50 years! I can't wait!

Megan and I have been through so much together....elementary school, high school, boyfriends, college, marriage, and now babies! Here is a picture of us pregnant together in December 2007.

I tear up as I type, just thinking about all of the good times and rough times our friendship has seen. Some of my favorite childhood memories with Megan are... running through the sprinkler in her yard; pretending her bed was a boat and we had to keep all our dolls from falling into the water; spending Sunday afternoons eating popcorn, with the blinds in her room closed, so we could watch old pictures projected onto the wall; burying a time capsule in her backyard and soon forgetting where it was buried...I don't think we ever found it; kool-aid stands down on the corner with my little brother tagging along; making mud pies in the summer; snowball fights and building igloos with all the neighborhood kids in the big open lot behind her house; riding our bikes to 'Magic Mountain' (the name we gave to a big pile of dirt in an open field a few blocks away...that big pile of dirt is now a new neighborhood full of houses); sunbathing in a plastic baby pool, even though we were in high school; inviting all our friends to summer scavenger hunts hosted by our moms; going to the New Kids on the Block concert in Tulsa, OK; and choreographing dances in her basement to Michael and Janet Jackson's records-Yes, RECORDS!

Barrett and her daughter, Norah Kate, are 6 weeks apart. It is amazing to think we're both moms and we have so much to look forward to. I can't wait for all the new memories we'll make as parents and watching our children grow up. I'll quote my comedic little brother, who had this one-liner after I sent him this picture of Barrett and Norah.

"Laura, you can't force your babies together like they're going to be magical best friends." Well, NO, I can't....but they are going to be spending lots of time together, so I can only hope they'll grow to respect each other. I can see Barrett being like a big brother to Norah when they're in high school!

So, Megan, if you're reading this....I love you so much and am so thankful for all the years you've been my friend. We are so blessed to have our happy & healthy little families and I look forward to all the memories we have ahead of us.

And...here's one more for a laugh! This is ME when I was 3 months old. I don't see much of Barrett, I guess he's all Justin! Look at what a chunky monkey I was!!!