The Group

Well another school years is coming to an end. The kid's last day is Friday (only a half day). I remember the euphoric feeling that last day of school. You woke up and got ready for school faster than any other day of the year. You couldn't wait for that last bell to ring. Once you heard it you ran home to throw your stuff in the door and off you went with your friends.

Now this was mostly true until Jr. High. This is when I started hanging out with "The Group" as we called ourselves. It consisted of Staci, Jenni, myself, Diego (my boyfriend at the time), Russ (Jenni's boyfriend and now husband), Dave, Curtis, Randi (Staci's ex and eventual baby daddy), and Maria (a very short term friend and Randi's other ex).


Our days consisted of hanging out with each other, mostly at Jenni's house. Days of dancing in Jenni's basement to "Baby's Got Back" and Prince and the like. Days of playing pool and Rummy. Days of sitting around just laughing our brains out. Or worrying over the next drama that we were sure would end life as we knew it. Camping at Mahoney in the pouring rain. Days of me drawing on Jenni's bedroom walls. A day of dressing 3 guys up in makeup and they went to a local grocery store. Even drinking coffee all night at Denny's.

These are such wonderful memories. You see these weren't just my friends, they were/are my family. They were there for me when no one else was. They were there when you needed a shoulder to cry on. We held each other up. We held each other accountable for our mistakes but loved each other anyway. I miss those days. We have all scattered into many different directions. All living our own lives.

I am still very close to Jenni. Jenni has been my best girl friend for years. She is closer to a sister than a best friend. She is a miraculous lady. A true friend. There was a time when we didn't talk and I am so sad we missed out on those years together. When we finally talked after, I think 6 years, we picked up our friendship as if we hadn't missed a day. She has been the only friend in my life who I never hid anything from. It is so sad that we have to live so far apart. We only het to see each only once a year. In that time though we have a ton of fun and a ton of laughs. She has the funniest laugh I have ever heard. She has always been my best audience, I love to get her laughing. She is a mommy to 3 boys and I know that has to be tough being the only girl, but she handles it with grace.

I haven't seen or talked to Dave, Curtis, Maria or Randi in years. I have talked on and off with Staci for about 2 years now. I think that is a relationship that will always be an on and off again kind of thing.

I have resumed my friendship with Diego. It is different friendship now than before. At one point I thought we would marry and live our happily ever after. With his career choice and my pregnancy we just couldn't ever find our way back to each other. So we had a lot of unresolved things to talk out, when we finally caught up with each other. It had been about 7-8 years since we broke up when we started talking again. Things got a little messy as things tend to do. We ended up not talking again for a few years but we've crept back into a conversation between friends that started18 years ago. It is strange now to try and have that great friendship. We are both married with kids and both happy. But Diego always had a way of talking me down from doing something stupid. At the time he knew me more than I knew myself. Yes we were dating but he was more then a boyfriend, he was my best friend. I miss our open and candid conversations. I miss NOT having to watch what I say as to not offend our spouses.

It all comes down to wishing more than anything to have those close relationships back. Most of the friends will never even speak to each other again for various reasons. I am glad that I still have 2 people that have shared so much together.

Our"Group" of people will never share the bond we had with anyone else in their lives. In my dreams I still go back to them and laugh and just hang out. I will always carry a special place in my heart for each and everyone of them.

I hope that everyone has this closeness with someone in their lives............