Once in a Lifetime

A few times in life, we are given days that are wrapped up like a Christmas present. Days that you dreamed of, days that will forever hold a piece of your heart, days that you will never forget. I got a couple of those days this month. One such day was with family. An intimate time, sharing intimate memories, crying, sniffling, scarfing down pizza, laughing at inside jokes, & laughing 'til, inevitably, someone farted. Sorry, Bubby.

My first once-in-a-lifetime day was just a few days before that. I met my friend. It sounds weird to say that I have a friend I have never met, but it's true. We've spent 2 years talking & texting, crying & laughing, & learning to be a mom together. Soon after Maddie was born, I met someone a lot like me through a mommy forum. We had both suffered miscarriages in the same month, only to wind up having our babies just three weeks apart. We shared joys of being a new mama, worst-mom-of-the-year moments, & everything in between. We began our journey into photography within a month of each other.

In planning for this trip, we decided that we would meet. She would make the 4-hour drive from Ohio to come meet me & the family. Ironically, we were both nervous. Her husband...made her bring a pocket knife. I threatened that my Papa would beat her up if she turned out to be a psychopath.

Needless to say, no one was beaten to a pulp or stabbed. The moment she threw her car into park in that driveway, she was hurling herself at me, both of us with tears streaming down our faces. We then let go of each other, & made a beeline for each other's toddler. We pulled ourselves together, went inside & sat & stared at each other. The voice I'd heard a million times over the phone wasn't matching up. It was weird hearing her voice come out of her mouth. Good weird. Our kiddos played together for a few hours, we chatted & Origami'd. Yes, Origami'd. That's what you do with friends - you Origami.

She settled right into this crazy, loud family. It was as if she'd been a part of it for years; the same feeling I was having being with them. We went out to dinner with all the girls, laughed some more, cried some more, & had a sleepover. We even had a midnight run to Wal-Mart for jammies & boogie wipes - the mark of true friends. 

When it was time for her to pack up the next morning, we were sad. Lots of tears & hugs, but we were joyful. We got our once in a lifetime moment together. We got to meet each other, & hug, & cry, & laugh hysterically, & love on each other's baby. And now, we have the promise of more times together, more trips to see each other, & a new love for each other that we can be thankful for.

 

Lindsey, I'm so glad I got to see you & love on you. You settled right in, & I wanted nothing more. Thanks for making the trek to my favorite Fly Over State. Love you.

a.