My girls

Why were pyramids just so damn cool back then?

At an IU football game

Going to Keeneland horse race in Lexington

The 8 of us who hung out throughout college

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to spend two days with my two best friends. These are girls who I have known half my life-we met freshman year at IU when we were 18 years old, so I literally feel that we have grown up together. We have seen each other through breakups, heartache, hangovers, marriages and the births of our combined nine children. There is nothing like knowing you can bare your innermost feelings and know you will not be judged but will still be loved the way you always have been. I feel so truly blessed to have you in my lives and I thank you for your friendship!

Just for fun, I have posted some pictures of us "before" and "after". The earliest picture I could find that included us all was freshman year in our dorm. We were all dressed up to go through Rush for sororities but were so thankful later that none of us made the cut so we could then live together the next 3 years of college. We had more fun than is legal in college and I wouldn't trade a second of it. The next two pictures are Claudine and I at a football game, and Andrea and I dressed up to head to Keeneland horse race in Lexington, Kentucky. Now mind you, I was still driving my first car then, which was an '82 Plymouth that I had promised when I received it in high school I would not drive more than 20 minutes away. That sucker transported me all over the country during college, but that's a story for another day. Then, there is a group picture from our sophomore year. Now, let's play a game. What do you think was super popular in 1992? You got it folks, spiral perms and bodysuits. You know, those bodysuits you snapped on like a onesie to show your svelte beer and pizza figure? So this picture epitomizes the height of those trends. And to all of my youngster blog readers, those cups were full of water. Water. Gotta stay hydrated.

I close the post with a few "after" pictures, one taken last summer and the other just this past weekend. We pledged years ago that we would get together at least 3 times a year, and since we are in Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana, that is sometimes easier said than done, but we make it happen. I drove away from this weekend feeling completely filled up, and so blessed to have such longstanding friendships. And, of course, a thanks to my hubby who realizes how important my friendships are to me and will help me make that happen. Go IU!