Good Times, Great Friends

What a wonderful weekend! A weekend like the one we just had is a rarity. Andrew and I have 3 couple friends that we are very close to. I really consider them family. Andrew grew up with Kyle, Sean and Daryl in Bainbridge, our home town. All four boys were involved in a lot of the same things and were even in a praise band together at church. Miraculously, they all managed to get a girlfriend in high school and what’s more….. they all married them…. within 9 months of each other! So the four of us girls (April, Mandy, Celia, and I) went from being teeny boppin groupies, watching our boyfriends in the band, to bonafide wives! Granted, since we all started dating so young we all had to endure 5+ year- long relationships that spanned college. But I think we would all agree it was worth it! And it certainly made for a close friendship amongst us.

These day’s we are super spread out so we barely ever get to see each other. Kyle and April live in Birmingham, AL with their PRECIOUS new baby Eli. Sean and Mandy live in North GA between Athens and Atlanta and Daryl and Celia JUST moved back to Bainbridge from Jacksonville, FL.

Andrew and I spent this past weekend at Sean and Mandy’s house with Kyle, April, and Eli for a mutual friend’s wedding in the Atlanta area. Daryl and Celia weren’t there so it didn’t feel quite like old times. WE MISSED Y'ALL!! Also, this was the first time we had a baby in the mix so that was a little different (when different means AMAZING)! I can’t tell you how great it was to be with our closest friends for more than a couple hours around the holidays.

Sean has a pilot’s license and wanted to take us all for a flight around Athens, our old college town. GOOO DAWGS! I have to say I almost missed out on this opportunity because I am a world class scardy-cat. I was slightly panicked just looking at the plane. I could barely muster a smile for a picture.

I was too embarrassed to be the only one on the ground while my friends and husband were flying so I got on board. And heck- if Andrew was going down in a plane I was going down with him. I know that’s a little morbid but those are the things scared people think. I am SO GLAD I did it because it was a blast!

I could tell Sean was a great pilot because he kept saying things like, “breaker breaker 6725 niner ascending northwest all clear” or something. It was beautiful seeing our campus and football stadium from the air. Certainly not an opportunity that comes along every day!

We got to visit Sean and Mandy’s church, grill out, go canoeing, and go to the wedding where we saw a whole host of other long-distance friends. It was such a great time. I know we will make tons of new friends when we go to New Orleans but there is just something about the old ones. I love how we can get together and pick up right where we left off. I know it sounds corny but I think I will always treasure the time we spent together this weekend and I know for sure I will think about it in the moments when things in New Orleans seem hard. Love you guys!