blast from the past--one is silver and the other's gold?

So today we went 'home' to see the tri-town parade in Rushville. I haven't been out for that in years. When we go to visit my parent we just go to their house. But, since the Kenny and Kiara always march in the parade and I had people on my 'visit list' we went out.

Wow. It's so strange. Places change so much, but barely change at all, at the same time if you know what I mean. It looks different, but it feels the same and the people are the same, maybe older, grayer, whatever, but overall it's still Rushville. Sometimes that's why I don't like going "home" because things change so much. Houses where there used to be woods and fields, strange things, and I like to remember it how it used to be, when I grew up. Keep it like that perfect snapshot from 12 years ago....

I ran into Andrea and Carrie (I won't use last names because I don't have permission ha!) whom I haven't seen since graduation day. Literally. It's crazy. And it's always hard, because I didn't have all day to ask what's been happening in their lives since that day, nor to explain mine. So, we did the quick small talk before moving on. I would have talked more but...

I had to find Monica, and Robin. They are the two I've known forever-Monica since 3 years old in ballet and preschool, Robin since kindergarten and purple knee socks. (luv you Robin) And more often than not it was the three of us always together, sometimes more people in our circle too. They are really the only ones I've kept in contact with since graduation. I'm not sure why I lost touch with other people, maybe just not as close, maybe they went too far away, who knows. So, I finally got to see Monica's baby, 4 months after he was born...oops.

We also saw some old familiar faces I haven't seen in years, too many years. Good friends, fun, silly people who I grew up with. And kids who aren't really kids anymore. Goodness it's strange. It really makes me remember things I haven't thought of in years, and it's fun, but I'm a nostalgia sap so... It's weird to remember all the old memories of silliness and just plain teenager years, fun, the years we had no worries or responsibilities, and see us all 'growed up'. Working, having kids, having lives and responsibilities. And you go through that mind-numbingly fast flashback in your head while talking to them, with those pictures of randomness in your head while they're telling you about 'adult' things they do and are now. It's fun, encouraging, sad and weird at the same time. If that makes sense.

These are people I've missed, but not in 'weird' ways. In good-friends-growing up ways. These are friends who encouraged me, helped me grow and mature, saw me through good times and bad, just grew up with for decades really. It's strange how easy it was to drift apart and how familiar it all was immediately. I miss them all and it'd be nice if we could all get together more often to just be and know each other again. Plus, now we all have kids who can entertain each other =)

....And then there's my baby girl Olivia. Holy Moses...ain't no baby anymore. Something about that girl, from day one, the day she was born I was drawn to her. I'd 'steal' her every chance I got, spent most of my afternoons and evenings after school at that house with her...miss her like crazy...