I visited my childhood best friend Jeanie in Corvallis for her birthday and she has been sorting through a bunch of keepsakes that her mom saved for her over the years. She was thrilled to show me some of the items. Letters I had written, stories she had penned that included references to my family, and a class photo from second grade of us in Mrs. Godfrey’s class at Garfield School in Corvallis, Oregon, where we attended first through third grade.
In the class photo, I am in the lower left corner wearing my German outfit (surprise : ) and  Jeanie is on the top right next to our teacher Mrs. Godfrey. When I said, “boy do you rate,” as I noted her position in the photo, she joked, “I was probably in trouble.”\

I’m grateful for the loyal lifetime friendship of Jeanie, whom I met when we were in first grade. My dad had accepted a position that year as a professor at Oregon State University, where he worked there till the end of my third grade year, before we moved to Portland.

When I got married, Jeanie was one of my bridesmaids and when my husband and I started having kids, Jeanie has been like an aunt to them. When my children were in preschool, she used to take them on a walk then out to lunch each week during her split work-shift while I wrote articles at home; I never asked her to do this –she offered on her own, and for that I’m really thankful. That act has inspired me in the way I grandparent my Sweet Littles. Jeanie has meant and continues to mean the world to our family.

When I was growing up, there were a few friends of my parents who were active in our lives and I still have memories of them. There is something about that support as a kid, that helps establish a sense of comfort and stability, and so I knew I wanted my kids to get to know some of my friends.

We have several dear friends who have been part of my family’s life over the years, in different seasons and stages of my kids’ lives and I’ve posted on those dear ones in the past. I know it sounds cliche, there is truth in cliches.         It takes a village. —     —     —     —     —     —

This is the 10th post in my 30 Days Of November How I Mom series: Surround your kids with friends who love your kids.

How about you? Do you have friends who have been part of your life since you’ve had kids? I’d love to hear!

#howimom30 #howyoumom30 .
#childhoodfriendship #secondgrade#classphotos #ittakesavillage

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