4th of July Memories

Kirby gets ready for a 4th of July parade with Dyllan and Shailynn;
another great 5-year old moment all the way around!

Did you ever get the feeling, even as something is happening, that memories are being made? I think the first time I was aware of this was during my freshman year in college. I was part of a musical theatre group (Centennial Singers) that toured throughout Wyoming and the US. The people I met in this group became my closest friends and confidantes within the first week that I knew them (a week before school even started). We became inseparable. We'd tour together on a bus for 10 days, inevitably sick and tired of the close quarters; no sooner would the bus pull up to the University than we would be planning a get together - "Okay everybody, meet at Shane's house at 7 tonight!" We couldn't stand being away from each other, but sometimes we were so close that we fought like siblings. The friendship lasted as many of us left the group, finished college, moved away, got married, and have had children. These people have been more than my friends - family, really. For 16 years now, we've kept in touch; we've been each other's roommates, bridesmaids, financial advisers - you name it. Now, we are raising our kids together and I know we all get a thrill from watching them have fun together. It's safe to say our kids love each other the way their parents love each other.

We spent 4th of July in Ft. Collins with five of these friends. Shane and Shantel met in the group in 1991 - 17 years later they've got three kids. Scott and Armeda (another couple who met in the group) and our friend Dave were visiting as well. Poor Husband - he was the only non-alum in attendance and was subjected to the usual re-hashing of backstage stories and parties gone amiss. He's a great sport about it. He's actually adopted these people as his friends. I tease him all the time telling him he stole my friends, but really it thrills my heart that he's grown as close to them as I am. Many of our friends weren't with us, and they were missed, but we made up for it by telling the most embarrassing stories about them.

The night of the 4th of July, we went to the lake in Shane and Shantel's neighborhood. As the seven of us sat in our camping chairs by the lake, with our six kids lined up in front of us in their mini camping chairs, nudging each other and giggling, I felt that familiar swell in my heart, "We're making memories here". It always feels like no time has passed when we come together, and I know we still see each other as we did over a decade ago. But watching our kids together is a realization of how far we've come; a sweet realization of the bond we share and how it has survived.

Connor prepares for take-off, pulled by Dad. There were 2 crashes, but then,
who ever said it was a good idea to pull a kid on a tricycle tied with a rope to a bike?
He still crossed the finish line smiling and was the subject of many photos taken by people we don't know.

Scotty and Shane discuss the ups and downs of the flag placements on their bikes.

Dads and kids display their decked-out bikes.

Of course, we moms dolled up the guys' bikes when they weren't around!