I'm a bit behind in updating my blog. Events-wise, that is. I have yet to mention that I recently had the privilege of spending some quality time with one of my oldest and bestest friends in the world - Allison G. aka Alli! She and I have been best buds since the fifth grade, when we met and immediately hit it off. She was shy, I was outgoing...she was musically inclined and loved drama, the extent of my musical bend was that I could play the piano, but certainly not sing like she could and I leaned more towards a career in medicine, as opposed to the theatre. But our opposite interests must have helped us fit like jigsaw puzzle pieces because our friendship has survived so much over the past 20-odd years: we managed to emerge successfully out of a tumultuous friendship with two other girls...a friendship that created more drama over a three year period than I ever care to repeat. Girls are hard enough to get along with without throwing jealousy and competition into the mix. Although, I suppose those are never far from hand when you're dealing with young girls. We somehow survived.

Our friendship also survived us going to separate high schools, separate colleges and living in separate states for the last 5 years or so. We've been there for each other when her parents got divorced, when grandparents passed away, when boys treated us poorly, when we had great boyfriends, when we had great roommates and cruddy roommates, when we just needed a shoulder to cry on or laugh with. She got a degree in theatre from Rhodes while I got a nursing degree from the UofA. I then switched tracks and became a bank consultant while she got her masters in more theatre stuff. I got my masters in Business and then stepped off the career path to become a mommy. Alli continued to pursue her dream of working in theatre and then suddenly she jumped tracks and is pursuing med school! She no longer lives here, but the times she pops in to visit her family, I get to spend some quality time with her, too.

I find it interesting that from the first moment Brooklyn met Allison (around 6 months of age or so), she adored her. Went to her without hesitation and immediately loved her - no prompting or encouragement needed. And even when we haven't seen Alli for months, I can bring her name up to Brooklyn and her face lights up. She totally remembers her Alli and loves her to pieces. So when she popped by to spend a Sunday morning with us, Brooklyn wouldn't let her out of her sight! She was ok with us talking to each other as long as she could be front and center with Alli and preferably, in her arms! I think it's amazing how my little girl can sense how special my dear friend is and take to her so strongly!