Mates

I recently read this blog article on To The Days Like This, and she summed up how my feelings perfectly.  

I miss my work friends....
We were in the trenches together every day.  We celebrated successes we achieved with students.  Some days, we banged our heads into the wall when the educational bureaucracy seeped its way into our jobs.  I was a part of a great team.  I had a certain hole in my days at the end of August when I was not setting up a classroom and catching up with my colleagues.  In April I had the distinct pleasure of flying home to attend the wedding of a former colleague.  I am so happy that an ocean did not keep me from celebrating this occasion with her.  

I miss my neighborhood friends....
Obviously life goes on near The 407.  They shoveled a lot of snow last winter.  The neighborhood kids played during the summer.  They had their first day of school pictures on the porch.  Recently, we saw the photos from this year's JDRF charity walk.  We loving joined each year to support our neighbor and thought about them as we walked the city on that day.
  

My neighbor (hi!) sent me this photo the other night with the caption, "come home."  

I'm happy to think that seeing these annual treats at the market reminds our friends of us.  Especially since, I was obsessed and posted many of these in the last two years.  

I miss my college friends....
Our group of college friends have been together for almost 20 years.  In that time we have experienced most of our adult milestones together.  There were weddings, babies born, deaths of loved ones, health struggles, job frustrations, and job successes.  Heck, I was in the delivery room when one of their kiddos was born.

Geographically we did not live close, but when we got together it was magical.  Our talks spanned from kids, to jobs, to family drama (no one ever has that), and many many laughs.  

Yes we text regularly, and the messages bring me the biggest joy.  I especially love to wake up to a text (or stream of texts) in the morning.  I hope they feel the same way when they wake up six hours later to the my responses.

   

They stop by The 407 to make sure she is doing OK.  I sure hope it spurs conversation among the neighbors as to who the heck is taking pictures out front.  

Finally, when we've taken trips back to the US, we find a way to be together.  When Matt was back in the states a few weeks ago a group event was not possible.  However, he got to have apple cider donuts at the apple orchard with one family and dinner with the other.    

We so look forward to our next trip home to see as many friends as we can.  I know it will feel like no time has passed when we see them.  We will easily pick up on conversations that started months ago, and make new memories to last us until we see them again.  I hope!