Adventures with the Ratcliff Family: The Duck Pond and Storytime

I've been spending a lot of time with a good friend lately. We have kids near the same age and met when the little ones were babies; Calli was almost three and Serena was two months old. Both of us used to frequent a playplace closeby and kept running into each other there. I don't make friends easily. I am friendly, but it's hard for me to just jump in and start talking to someone and she has said the same thing about herself. She is my only friend that I haven't met through my mom's group or facebook/myspace or Calli's preschool. She's a friend that I went out and made on my own and wouldn't you know it, she's my closest one. It took about six months of running into each other at this playplace (by this time I was pregnant again) for us to finally exchange phone numbers and myspace info (which has since changed to facebook because we all know that is the IN thing right now!!). We text all the time and see each other at least once a week, but usually more like 2-3 times. She is the one that finally convinced me to join her mom's group and I'm glad I did! I have met some other wonderful moms (and some interesting ones). For the most part they have been so nice and friendly and I feel comfortable being a part of the group.

Anyway, I feel lucky to have such a close friend who I know is there for anything. She took our girls for us when I was in labor and delivery with Jameson and I know she's there any other time I might need her as well. The funny thing is, she's about twelve years older than I am, but it doesn't really matter. I don't see her as "old", she doesn't see me as "young". We're just two moms with kids the same age who share similar views on life. Everyone is brought into our lives for a reason and I am very glad that she is in mine. I wish I could take her with me when our journey here is done, but at least we have such great technology nowadays that I know we will always keep in touch!

So last week we packed the kids up and took them to the duck pond. I love duck ponds! I brought some pb&j sandwiches, she brought the juice boxes and we had a picnic and let the kids play in the park and feed the ducks. Unfortunately I didn't get any good photos of all the girls together (her oldest who is Calli's age is in full time preschool so he usually misses out on our adventures). Serena wasn't being very cooperative and didn't want to have her photo taken that day.