All grown up

Wendy & Matthew, Barb & Daniel, Marianne & Nicholas

I just found this photo from May, 1988. Nicholas and Daniel were about 2 1/2; Matthew a little younger.  We got together at Barb's house during one of our visits to Phoenix.  If I searched further back, I'd find a photo of Barb from 8th grade in our red Grandview pom uniform. If I went even further into the past,  I could probably find a photo of Wendy from 5th grade, long blond pigtails flying.  But even in high school and college, we didn't take photos like young people now.  Every shot is precious and flawed without the digital do-overs of today.

Here we are 24 years later.  The boys are all grown up, Nick and Daniel are married.

 We're still poolside... still friends and feeling younger than our years.  

Wendy, Marianne and Barb on Cinco de Mayo

Bye bye bear

Little Nicholas loved climbing into his bear chair.  It was soft and snuggly and hugged him always.  Bear moved from Costa Mesa to Miami to Hinsdale, a good companion for watching TV or reading. But little boys grow up and cast off stuffed animals, for even though bear was a chair, he was a stuffed animal first. Bear met his final resting place in the basement, until this week, when covered with mice droppings, he was carried off to the farm.

Old and worn out, no longer plush and pretty, bear burned brightly once more and was gone except in the memory of a little boy and his mom...

and dad.