Forever Friends

The past 24 hours has been a lesson in friendship for the kids.  Hubs and Rick have been good friends for 30 years.  His wife and I became fast friends when she started dating Rick.  Our four kids and their 6 kids quickly became friends this trip.  Although it has been many years (and subsequent births of children), we picked up right where we left off.  Lots of laughs, card games played, adventures with the 10 kids in a bike-Rip Stik caravan, and tasty food to feed our small army.

I am so grateful that they welcomed us into their home and we were all able to reconnect and be together!  2 days sped by too quickly!  Very hard to say goodbye.  Let's not wait another 10 years to get everyone together!

From Detroit, we returned to the suburbs of Chicago and were quickly reunited with two of my BFFs and hubby's brother and family.  Again, the kids saw first hand the importance of long term friendships that pick up after time apart.  Lots of laughter and being one big family- connected with tight bonds, if not blood.

Addendum:  I have been delayed in posting this and in the meantime have connected with more friends during our trip.  EPE- we have known each other since we were 23 Chromosome single cells.  You mean the world to me and I just love how you quickly connected to my kids.  They are still talking about the adventures at your house- even though we were only there just over an hour.  Your 37 year old turtle that peed on my son will be marked in our road trip history!  I am so thankful that our dad's met 46 years ago and that our friendship has stayed strong and grown to include significant others, kids, and especially Peggy the turtle.  Price's- it's amazing that we only lived by each other for 2 years during our years in Chicago and our friendship has stayed strong in the decade + that we have been gone.  Spending time at U2 was awesome and so fun to be together as adults without kids around!  (Love the kids- it's just nice to have time without sometimes-- you all know what I am saying!!)

Our kids see how excited we are to see long distance friends.  They have friendships that are separated by distance as well and I hope they will see the importance and joys of maintaining those friendships!  Lots of life lessons this trip!