The Sisters I've Gathered Along the Way

" I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world."
        -Thomas Edison

I have heard it said that you are lucky in life if you have one true friend.  In my case I have been blessed in spades with five.  I  met my first best friend Sarah when I was 6 yrs old and we were in the same first grade class.  I remember in Kindergarden the year before, I saw her once and thought, "I want to be her friend."  So as fate would have it, that's exactly what happened. 

Next came Jessica in 2nd grade.  Although we were friends right away, our friendship didn't last beyond that year because we were never again in the same elementary class. But I had stayed good friends with Sarah, who was good friends with Jessica, so we were brought back together in middle school where we also all played soccer together.  In 9th grade I meet best friends number 3 and 4.  Ryan and Jenna went to the private Catholic School in our town, but it only went up to 8th grade.  Sarah also knew them from outside of school so they were added into our small group of friends.  In 11th grade our circle become complete when Colleen joined. She had moved to our town a couple years earlier but it wasn't until that year that we really got to know her.

Sarah, Jessica, and I with our dates before our 8th grade formal.

Growing up in a town as small as ours put quite a rigid social structure in our highschool.  We were part of the privileged few to be at the top.  Colleen was even Prom Queen, the rest of us were on Prom Court.  I used to think things like this were all that mattered, but looking back now, I know it was all silly nonsense that had no bearing on who we become in the future. 

                                   Jessica, Me, and Jenna with our dates before Junior Prom.

After graduation we all took a road trip together to Wildwood, NJ.  It was our first taste of freedom, and we had a real sense of being on our own.  Of course we had a blast.  It was so much fun that we took a second trip after our first year of college, this time to Ocean City, MD.  It wasn't the same though, we still had fun but Ryan couldn't go and it sort of felt like we were incomplete without her.  We started to drift apart as distance and time took its toll, all getting together maybe a few times a year.  We were always there for each other though.  Through every heart break, family problem, death of friend or loved one, I could always count on my "sisters" to help put the pieces back together.

                                                  "The good ol days" Getting together in Plattsburg.
        Back row: Colleen, Sarah, Jenna,  Front Row:Me, Ryan, Jessica, (Sarah and Jessica's friend from college on the end)

Halloween 2008

Back Row: Sarah, Jenna, Colleen,  Front Row: Jessica, Ryan, Me

Now the years of living in the moment, have turned into planning for our futures.  Boyfriends have turned into husbands, couples have turned into familes, and jobs have turned into careers. We all seem to have come back to this small town we grew up in, or at least visit it frequently.  Maybe its because no matter how small it seemed when we were growing up, in the end its what kept us together.  When we get together now for our "girl time" its no longer filled with conversations of, who is dating who, OH MY GOD...she said what!?!, and where the next keg party is going to be.  Our children play in the background and a baby is bounced on a knee, as we talk about how fast our lives got to this point, who is having the next baby, and what a good career move might be.

Ryan's Bachelorette Party 2011

Jenna, Colleen, Sarah, Ryan, Jessica, Me

Sarah's Bridal Shower 2011

Back Row:Jenna, Sarah, Colleen  Front Row:Ryan, Jessica, Me

This, I think, is the embodiment of true friendship.  We have been with each other every step of the way.  We know each other inside and out...every flaw, every failure, but more importantly every virture, and every success.  In the future I see us still getting together, laughing over our years of memories, and how our children are turning into the brats we used to be.  As I look at my young daughter just starting to make friends in her kindergarden class, I hope for nothing more than for her to end up with a group of friends like mine.  True "Life Mates".

My Wedding day 2010

Sarah, Ryan, Olivia(my niece), Mandy(my sister), Me, Jessica, Jenna, Colleen, Jaid(my daughter) in front.