I was so excited to have the opportunity to make a quick trip to California last month to visit my best friend Melinda. She and I have been friends since college. We lived together for something like 5 years, during which most of the time we shared a room, and she has walked with me through what feels like half my life. She's been there for me during the hard parts and she has celebrated with me every milestone from birthdays, to my wedding, to buying our first house, to babies. She has selflessly loved and celebrated with me so often that when I found out we'd be moving a month before Hayley was due I was absolutely heartbroken to know that I'd miss being there for this big moment in her life. I'm still sad that I didn't get to be in the waiting room or the one who brought her what she was craving after labor, but I did the next best thing and spent the day that she was in labor texting her mom, pretending that I was there though I wasn't, and I booked a ticket to meet this precious little one as soon as I was able. Hayley is absolutely precious and such a lucky little girl!
While I was in California I couldn't stay away from these little ones either. I don't think I even realized how homesick I was until I pulled into our old neighborhood and started to cry. I cried partially because the new owners are totally remodeling our house and have everything torn apart, but mostly because I so miss being across the street from my other best friend Courtney and her family, and being back in the neighborhood just made it all feel way to real.
