Early friendships

Here is a photo of Gardner and one of his favorite playmates, Peyton. Even though they're 16 months apart, they play together perfectly. Even if I'm over there just hanging out, wanting to relax some and read a magazine while the two of them play, I just can't seem to do it. They intrigue me, how they run and play and laugh and imagine. Watching them is like watching a waterfall....you just can't pull your eyes away. It brings a smile to my face, and lots of joy to my heart. It takes me back 25 years when I was doing the same exact thing.

Early friendships should not be invalidated. They can grow into lifelong ones. Prime example is my friend, Christy, and me. Our mothers were actually best friends and roomies in college. They remained close as they each got married and had a baby. Christy and I are 7 months apart, yet we were inseparable from the beginning. We played together even before we were able to sit up or walk. Our moms got us together for playdates just like I do with Gardner now.

When I was a little over two, we moved out of town. We didn't lay eyes on them for five years, until I was seven. Suddenly, Mom brought over to me this unfamiliar girl while I was playing outside with neighborhood kids. "This is Christy. You don't remember each other, but you were friends a long time ago."

You might think I'm kidding, but I'm not....by that afternoon's end, it was like we'd never been separated. It was truly as if we'd always been close. We played together once a week or more from that moment on. Even though more moves caused more separations in our later years, we are still close friends to this day. In fact, I emailed Christy just this morning.

I will look at these baby friendships that Gardner is forming with utmost respect....they might indeed be lifelong ones. I am so grateful that God has sent our way friends whose parents are as adamant about raising Godly children as we are. We all have so much fun together, not just the toddlers. It's amazing, and it's awesome.

I thank God today for friendships, all kinds, all distances, all lengths. They are all incredible, and they make life so much sweeter.

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