"Old Friends"

What actually determines when friends become "old friends"?  I've always heard people talk about friends that they refer to as their "old friends" and I've wondered...what qualifications do people have to meet to make the list?  Within the last five years I've learned that there are no qualifications.  It's not about the amount of time you've known someone.   You just wake up one day and realize that certain people are just "old friends".  The kind of friends that you know will be in your life forever.  They are the friends that will be at your children's birthday parties and fly out for their graduation from high school.  They are the friends that you know will be at your wedding even if it's 3,000 miles away... because they're "old friends".

Meet Matt and Kelly.

When I lived in Roanoke I lived in the Hancock building.  If you picture the building that Friends was filmed in you can sort of picture the layout.  Matt and Kelly were engaged when I moved in.  We lived right across the hall from each other.  When I first saw Matt and Kelly they were out walking their dogs, Putter and Jane.  It took us a few months to get to know each other but after those first few months we were together constantly.  Every night either I was cooking, Kelly was cooking, or we were going to Metro for half price sushi.  We seriously considered getting the picture frames from Friends that hung around the peep hole on the door... I ordered them off Ebay and come to think of it they never actually came... I should really check into that!

Since then a lot of things in life have changed...
I've met Brian, graduated from PA school, moved to Tennessee, and started my first job.  Matt and Kelly have moved to a different apartment, gotten married, gotten pregnant, and had their first beautiful baby.

Meet Evelyn Jane.

I can honestly say that I remember the day she was born.  It is so hard to believe that she was born seven months ago!  She has gone from this little peanut to this little girl that is all over the place.  She is crawling and making lots of great sounds!  So far she can say Momma and Dada.  I was working on Aunt Taryn over the weekend but something tells me that may be awhile! She is the most precious creature... so pure and innocent.  Her little cry makes you just want to tell her everything is going to be ok...even when you know she is only crying because her Momma is turned around talking and not looking at her.  She is truly a gift!

This weekend we had a lot to celebrate.  Life gets a bit hectic sometimes and time slips away from us.  There was definitely some catching up to be done!

We celebrated Evie's first Christmas.

First Easter (a little early).

And her first birthday (even earlier).

Evie met Brian for the first time... I would say that it went well!

Of course we did some cooking!

And Evie did a lot of playing... of course she preferred the dog toys to any others that she had.  Don't worry we don't actually have the puppy yet but I'm sure she'll be very happy that her toys have already been broken in for her.

We made a quick trip to Asheville for some play time for the adults.  Brian picked on me.  The boys bonded over knowing everything there is to know about beer. Of course we did some people watching.

    


It was certainly a great weekend.  It was great to see Evie, give her lots of kisses, and do a little spoiling!  It was great to see Matt and Kelly... it was the first time that I had really seen them as parents.  It's amazing how some things come so natural. Life is certainly changing every day and change is definitely a good thing.  There is also comfort in knowing that some things never change.  Thanks for an excellent weekend to my very "old" and very dear friends!