Changes

Leaves in our front yard

Today an old friend of mine sent me a link to her updated online photo album and it made me a little sad. Half of the pictures were of her little boy but the other half were pictures of her, her husband and I guess the friends she hangs out with now.

Ashlee and I became friends at Windsor High. She was a year younger than me and I was a senior when we met. We played Varsity Volleyball together and double dated at prom. We worked out at the gym together and it was with her that I skipped school with one of the only two times that I did it my entire life. I was her "date" to her sisters wedding when her boyfriend couldn't go. We used to sneak cigarettes together and cover it up with febreeze. We did tons of other stupid stuff together because we were young and carefree.

Even after I graduated High School we were still close. When I was l was looking for any way out of Savannah it was Ashlee that talked me into staying. I auditioned to become a Covenant Player and was accepted and would have left in January of 2001 but I didn't think about it seriously because Ashlee begged me to stay to see her Graduate High School. I met Curt in February.

When Curt and I got married it was Ashlee and Bo (her now husband) that we hung out with the night before we got married. If it was the weekend chances were they would be at our apartment. We went camping together and Curt got Bo a job where he worked. Ashlee and I still snuck the occasional cigarette together (still from our parents) Then Ashlee and Bo got their own place and they started hanging out more with Bo's friends and we started hanging out less. Then Curt and Bo both got different jobs it was even less.

We've kept in touch over the years mostly through emails. When Ashlee knew of a job opening she told me about it and got me a part time job working at Dan Vaden. Ashlee got pregnant and had a baby shower but I couldn't go because I was leaving to study abroad in Trinidad. Then Bo and her got married and we were invited to their Beach wedding only we couldn't get in touch with them to find out where and when exactly they were tying the knot and we missed it.

When I was pregnant with Lucas, Ashlee asked me to show her how to sell on eBay because she wanted a way to be a stay at home mom with her son because she was tired of missing out on spending time with him while she worked and he was in Day Care. I spent the day showing her how things worked. She was still smoking, but I wasn't (and I'm still not). After that we talked on the phone a few times but right before I had Lucas they stopped and it was back to the occasional email.

Then there is Ashlee # 2. The last couple of weeks I've tried to get a hold of Ashlee from my childbirth class. I haven't talked to her for about a month. We used to call each other at least once every few weeks just to check in and see how each other's little boy was doing. She was supposed to be moving down the street from me this month. I tried to call again today but her phone number just rings but no one ever answers(but it isn't disconnected.)

Maybe I'm not meant to be friends with Ashlees. Or maybe people come into your life for certain purposes and then your friendships slowly just fade away. If it wasn't for Ashlee #1 I might not have stayed in Savannah and met Curt. There would be no Lucas and my life would be so different. I wouldn't have gotten so close to Lisa or met Brandi. Pregnancy would have been a lot harder not having Ashlee #2 to discuss important things like swollen ankles, food cravings, and how exactly you time a contraction. So I guess I won't count out making friends with another Ashlee just yet.