Good Friends -Oh, How I've Missed You

This past week, the boys and I drove up to Cedar City to meet up with my best friend Brittany and her family. I've driven through Cedar, on the freeway, several times, since we moved away, but haven't been in town for about three years. It had been even longer since I'd been on campus at SUU.

 This is where a whole new world began. My first apartment in Cedar City. I consider this home a very dear old friend. So many memories are tied up in this place. I loved it. Seeing it made me want to cry with nostalgia and long for those years as a young, cute, college girl. I had some of the best roommates in this place. I'm grateful for all they taught me. And, it's the place I first met Joe! He lived in apt. #1 (far left) and I lived in #3. :)  He came over one day looking to borrow scissors. I obliged him.

On campus!! SUU is seriously beautiful to me. I loved it especially when all the evergreens were covered in snow. Breath taking! There have been a lot of changes made around campus, but it was still my campus. Brittany and I were silent a lot as we replayed many memories in our minds. Then we'd say, over and over again, "I can't believe it was that long ago."

The one and only Brittany

So, thirteen years ago, I met this spitfire of a girl Brittany Sweat. She was spunky, and outgoing, honest, and loved to talk almost as much as I did. :) We were a match made in heaven! We had the important things in common and quickly became best friends. Working a shift with her, in the Smiths video/non foods dept. was always one of my favorite things. I love this woman, who I met as a girl. (well, a teenage girl anyway.) Thank you Brittany for EVERYTHING you have brought into my life.

Here we are now with our growing families. We were lucky to have gotten married only a few months apart, and then to have had all of our children within months of each other. This means, we have been through everything TOGETHER. We were newly weds -together, first time moms -together, and are now moms with three kids -together. Each trasition -together. I have been so grateful for this. It's so nice to be able to talk to someone who is in the exact same situation as you. Our parallel lives are what continually prove, to me, that the Lord gave me Brittany as one of the greatest gifts and strengths to my life.

Carter and D. These two could be brothers!

Five boys and one cute girl walking the sidewalks where their parents walked. The cutest group of kids you'll ever see.

They climbed! 

Ben helping Carter get back to me quickly. What a great big brother; he carried Carter a long way. And, Carter didn't mind the ride.

Just a picture of campus. Picture this covered in snow! One of my favorite views on campus back then.

Kade and L. Kade waited patiently till L would talk to him. Then they became friends.

The kids enjoyed taking a tour of campus. they ran on the grass and climbed things. They enjoyed each others' company. We look forward to seeing the O family every year. We were all pretty  bummed that they couldn't make it down to St. G. But they have a lot of friends and family to see in one packed vacation, so we are more than happy with the time that we had. :)  What a great day, full of remembered, revisited fond memories, and full of new memories with the kids.