Growing Up

The time has come, I believe, for another post about growing up. Because no matter how many times I'm reminded daily that I'm growing up and getting older, I still seem surprised. It's like there are a set of giant steps that each of us must climb. And you can always tell by the events that are going on around you when it's time to take another step. The first big change happens around high school - entering a new building, taking harder classes, etc. And then it's taking your driver's test - wondering how many times you'll have to take it before you pass! Then it's graduation and we're all heading off to college. At college came a lot of other changes - freedom, even harder classes and more homework, new friends and making and learning from mistakes. Then it was the 21st parties, then college graduation and having to find a "real job". And then it was engagements which came along with bridal showers and bachelorette parties and finally the wedding. 

Now I'll admit. All of those steps were pretty easy to handle. None of those steps seemed like that large of step. Maybe had to stretch my legs for a couple of them, but fairly easy. It's these next steps. The next phase of life that's really changing everything up. It's the process of buying our first homes. It's the idea of starting a family. Of having to be so responsible for another person's life. That's a BIG step.

I've had my first couple of baby showers already so I know I'm officially in this next stage of life. That's not to say that AJ and I are ready to have kids - because we're not. :) But I know we're at that point where we're starting to have those serious conversations about our future and what we want for our family someday. And I will admit, although AJ and I are not yet at that stage in life, we are so far enjoying that stage with some of our friends. :)

Liz, Thor & Amanda

My best friend and roommate from college, Amanda and her husband welcomed a baby boy to this world at the end of February. Amanda is one of my closest friends and we've always agreed that we've wanted our children to grow up together. And so it was assumed that we would have close relationships with each other's children as well. So before Thor was born, we tried to come up with a nickname for the baby to call AJ and I. See, Amanda has a really big family and this baby was already going to have a lot of aunts and uncles and we wanted to have something a little different. And so we looked and thought and looked some more, but found nothing. There are just no good nicknames out there for close family friends! However, AJ happened to stumble upon the word clans-people and made a joke that should be our nickname. Well, it stuck. :) Thor is now our clans-baby and AJ and I are his proud Clans-Uncle and Clans-Aunt (or Clans-People). Although Thor is just a couple of months old, AJ and I are looking forward to watching this little one grow up and being apart of his life. 

I would also like to add that part of this growing up has domesticated me in some ways. I have even been able to surprise my mother with that fact! :) I have learned how to cross-stitch and have been cross-stitching bibs for my friends. This one was my first one and it was for Thor.



Another great friendship story is one that is about all of my high school friends. 

The Oven Mitt

There is a group of us that have managed to stay pretty close since high school and trying to get together as much as possible - although you have no idea how difficult that has become since we're literally all over the place! But I think we've done pretty good. And we had this fun little tradition that we started when the first one of us was set to be married (although I'm not sure we knew it would become a tradition). Naomi was given an oven mitt at her bachelorette party that said "Newlyweds heat it up in the kitchen". Then she passed it on to Shateen, the next in line getting married. And soon it became a rotating gift between us. It was fun to always expect that gift to show up when we celebrated the next one to get married.

But now, before we knew it, we're starting to have baby showers for each other. Well we wanted to keep the tradition alive and had thought about what else we could pass along at each other's baby showers. Finally we decided on a quilt with a quote on the back where each child will leave their foot print and name. I wrote a little something to go along with the blanket as well.

What started out as a fun little gag gift,
has turned into an anticipated tradition
It started off in high school with our silly boyfriend drama
Then it became celebrations on getting our driver's licenses and debating who would drive to whichever house we would be TPing
Next came the graduation parties, learning to temporarily say good bye as we each headed out to explore the world
With that came more boyfriend drama and
hours of homework on top of that
But then we were turning 21 and learning how to celebrate
and make mistakes as adults
We starting celebrating bachelorette parties and making sure we would be "heating up the kitchen" as newlyweds
After that it was debating about what color flowers we wanted and praying it didn't rain on our big day
Now it's become something bigger than the rest
We're making homes and starting families
Soon our stories will be about first steps and first words
They'll become stories of spelling bees won
and first playground crushes
And before we know it, we'll be dreading those first driver's licenses and graduation parties
But throughout the past and forever in our future,
one thing has stayed the same
Our friendships grow stronger with time and
we can see no end in sight
As this next chapter in our lives begin, we pray God will continue to bless our friends and our new families
And we pray all these children will grow to know,
these friends we hold so dear

High School Friends Baby Quilt

Inscription on the back