Hometown-Fountain of Youth

Darin was out of town on an extended trip,

for work and then a Bachelor party.

The girls and I

headed to the safe, single mom relief of Lodi.

It was the Annual Fair Weekend.

Cathie, Julie and I took the kids

for rides on Friday night.

We spent Saturday at our

Wisconsin Second Home.

(I named Cathie's house, my pool house,

which makes me a true Chicago Suburbanite)

Lily was embarrassed I took this picture of her on a baby ride.

Until the baby ride whipped her

around a corner so fast,

she was proud to have her hands in the air, and an equally risky companion at her side.

Hannah had no embarrassment to be

on a baby ride. 

With an almost baby C.

Hannah was born to love and nurture

and to take care of:

 plants, animals, and children.

Here's an example,

when Lily is embarrassed because she is scared and wants a life jacket in the pool,

 Hannah accommodates

 by also putting on a life jacket. 

The only one left and 3 sizes to small.

With no embarrassment, because she is helping her FriendCousin.

I, often consider Hannah, my first baby.

The first baby of my besties.

Our first baby.

Hannah has been responsible to watch and take care of the Littles, her whole life.

Even when she was just a Little herself.

Its part in her nature and part her birth order.

The kids, until now, have all been

grouped together.

Same rules apply, to all.

I see Hannah now, wanting more.

She is not a baby.

She is a babysitter.

So it is fitting, that we acknowledge her growth.

She's leading the way for us.

We need to respond.

They are not all babies.

There are 3 bigger kids.

They should get special privileges.

Hannah is the oldest, and gets the biggest slushy.

And we have only 2 Littles.

The Big 3 can keep their slushies

a secret from them.

The older 3 are proving to us,

that they are capable.

They are strong.

They are smart and make good choices.

It all changes so fast.

We needed Hannah, in her quiet way,

to get us Mom's, on board with

the growing up that is happening,

even when we wish them all to watch the same Baby Einstein movie

and to be nursed, rocked, and to bed by 7 pm.

We spent Saturday evening, sans kids,

at Mike and Julie's.

They hosted a lovely gathering for our classmates and friends.

It was wonderful to be in the company of hometown friends.

The only ones that share my grief about Gabe.

I saw some classmates I haven't seen since graduation.

I would say hi and wonder who they were or if they knew me, or if I ever knew them.

I would whisper to Julie

"who's that?  Do they know me?"

She fell over laughing.

"Yes, Heather.  Everyone knows you.  They were in your class, how do you not know them!"

"Wasn't he chubby?"  Now, he's all skinny!  Did she really marry him?"

Julie laughed.

I ,then felt so out of touch.

"Do I look different?"

She just smiled at me and shook her head, no.

And then I realized, even with all my Chicago influence, self tanner,

accessories, and Spanx,

they are the very few people in my life that will always see me as a child.

I will always be,

 who I have always been to my classmates.

I am guessing they see me as,

mouthy, freckled, curly haired, flirty, and hopefully, friendly.

When I am 80 years old, and my hair is white

they will still only see me this way.

Its comforting to know

they know me in this childhood way.

Afterall, it is who I really am.

In my Chicago life, I have to tell stories of my youth for others to really know me.

In Lodi, they already know.

So while our kids grow up,

Besties and I remain ageless.

Gladly stuck in the freedom of 10 years old,

with bad perms and toothy grins.