Last weekend, I visited with Anita, my childhood best friend, and her family. We've drifted apart over the years, with her life focussing on raising a young family and being a wife and mother. Kids kinda freak me out, and I'd never visited their farm. In fact, aside from being at the wedding, and her father's funeral 4 years ago, I think there have been 2 visits.
But coming changes precipitated this visit, and so off Dallas and I went for a visit. We had the best time. I was amazed to see the looks of awe Morgan and Eric had for "mommy's best friend," and how they wanted to hear our stories of childhood and of when we lived together in London. I expected them to say a shy hello, and boot it, but they didn't do that at all. Morgan had even drawn me a little crayon picture, that now enjoys front-page on my fridge. I am tickled silly. Morgan is the image of Anita as a child, and it was a little heart-wrenching to see this sweet little version of my own best friend.
After an evening of jokes, stories, updates, and some poker, we adults (*whoa*) finally went to bed. In the morning, the kids woke me, and we raced down to share kid cereal, tell stories, I gave advice on how to punch out the school bully, and I taught them a whole bunch of magic tricks. Rick and Anita are going to rue the day... Later we went and played outside, and exhausted the dogs. It was completely surreal.
I'd been unconsciously avoiding a closer connection because I didn't know how to deal with kids, or people with kids. Apparently I just needed to wait until the kids and I were on the same level. Now we're buds.
Weird.
