Didn't lose a beat...

I had a wonderful time last night. My good friend, Drew, drove up from Fort Bragg to visit with us. John came over and we ate a good meal, played some Mariokart for the first time in 10 years, and just had a good time. There was a bit of reminiscing...but it was more catching up than anything. We were able to, for the first time in a while, find out what the other person has really been up to. It was not awkward or uncomfortable, it was as if we didn't lose a beat. It was powerful and had me thinking a lot this morning. But before I share my thoughts, here is a picture of Drew and John from last night:


So, for some history...This was the first time I had seen Drew in a couple of years. Drew and I go back to the middle school days, although we became closer friends later in high school. We lived together with John all four years of college and have experienced much of life with one another. When I moved from Pittsburgh, the most difficult thing was not having him around consistently. I think I have realized that friendships like Drew's are the most difficult to replace. I have some good new friends in Raleigh and obviously my best friend being my wife...but losing that history with Drew was tough. He reminded me of the time we drove through Delaware in 90 degree weather with the heat blasting to keep my car from overheating. It was just he and I on that trip, so there is no one else that knows the details of that story. Although John lived in the same suite as Drew and I all throughout college, Drew and I shared rooms freshman and sophomore year. So silly stories about fights over the temperatures and whatnot are also unique to him and I. Drew, his date, my date, another couple, and I went to our senior prom together. I worked for Drew's parents for about 3 years in high school and college at Loafer's Bread Company. Through it all..Drew and I spent a lot of time together...here is an old picture I stole off Drew's website with us cooking breakfast for ~50 kids when we were probably 17 or 18 years old.


In the end, I reflected this morning on this being one disappointment in my life. I see other guys, like my friend Andy, take a yearly camping trip with his guy friends still. My brother in law plays Fantasy Football with his friends and they get together yearly for a draft. Others take beach trips or trips to Vegas. We unfortunately did not start any traditions like that and now I yearn for that time when we can get together and not just reminisce but catch up. With Drew in the Army, I imagine it will be difficult to start a tradition like that now. But I hope in about 4 years once he is done with his active duty that we can try to plan some yearly event.

In the meantime, I hope to keep up with Drew when he is stationed at Bragg. Hopefully I can see some more of his family when they head down this way. Last October we saw Drew's little sister Leah (pictures below with Anna who was about 1 yr old) when she and her friend stayed here. Hopefully, I can catch up with the rest of Drew's family when they are this way.

Fascinated by social networks

Social networking fascinates me in a way I never thought it would. I am fascinated by the relationships that have come about that in many ways I never thought they would. Don't worry, I have an example. Below is a screen capture of one of my Facebook friends, Katie. Katie was a year younger than me in high school, went to the same church as me for many years in high school, and now lives in Los Angeles. But check out the snapshot of our friends in common..


Fourteen friends in common, no big deal. But 2 of those three interest me. The first one, Stephanie, I know because she is a very close friend to my sister. In fact, she was my sister's maid of honor and my sister was also in Stephanie's wedding. Stephanie is from Philly, met my sister in Syracuse, and didn't move to Pittsburgh til long after my sister, myself, and I think Katie moved away from there. As far as I know, she only came to visit us other times. So, I find it amazing they know each other.

The third friend, Melissa, is even stranger...or is it? My wife's best friend since she was born, Suzanne, has a very close friend from Chesapeake, Melissa. Melissa and Suzanne went to college together at Mary Washington. It just so happens that Katie also went to Mary Washington and graduated the year after Melissa and Suzanne...probably how they know one another but it still amazes me...

The ways in which some of my friends know other friends on social networking sites continues to amaze me. Here is another one which amazes me:

There exists a girl named Madelyn Burkart. One letter from our little girl, Madelyn Burckart. And what is even crazier...we have a mutual friend! My friend Andy found this girl when googling to see if anyone would share Madelyn's namesake. Maybe I am too much of a geek.

Blessed with nearby friends and family

I blogged earlier about the grandparent factor and its importance when having more than one kid...well I thought I would follow up with how blessed we have been with nearby friends and family. Last Tuesday afternoon, Heather started having contractions around 2:45pm. At about 3:45 we called Suzanne, Heather's life-long friend, who came by and took Anna. We also called John, my good friend and roommate throughout college who took Cassie for the next 24 hours. Suzanne's husband Aaron came and helped Suzanne that night so that when Madelyn was born less than 4 hours later, Suzanne was able to come visit Madelyn while Aaron took care of Anna. That night, I came home with my mother in law and we stayed the night at home, leaving Heather alone in the hospital with Madelyn.


The next day, Suzanne took the morning off and Aaron the afternoon off. That was great. Suzanne brought Anna to the hospital to meet her sister. Anna thought she was funny and special from the beginning. Anna went home and took a nap with Aaron taking care of her in the afternoon and getting his first diaper changing experiences. Suzanne is pregnant, so he needs the practice anyway :-) That evening my good friend Derick brought me dinner while in the hospital and I went home that evening to be with Anna and Cassie.


On Thursday, when Heather was coming home, Heather's sister-in-law Stephanie came from Greensboro (~90 min drive) for the day and spent time with Anna while I went and got Heather home. They had a blast, and we were home for lunch. Stephanie left early in the evening and we were on our own.


Beyond that, we had other great help yesterday when one of our neighborhood friends, Ann, watched Anna while both Heather and I went to Madelyn's doctor appointment.

We also have been blessed with 3 meals a week all of May. Our friend Meg arranged it and a variety of people will be bringing them.

I don't feel at a loss right now from not having grandparents because of how surrounded we have been by friends. I am so thankful for our friends and how helpful they have been. I still wish we had grandparents more accessible, but I don't think that is holding us back!

Floored this morning..

This morning I was reading our friend Julie's latest blog posting and was absolutely floored. I think two things really hit me this morning:
1) How wonderful and selfless Julie is, to show so much concern for others in the midst of such tough times they themselves have gone through in the last year. Julie's son Ethan was born with HLHS, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning he essentially is missing half of his heart. He is doing great, but the family has been through a lot including two surgeries for Ethan in less than 9 months and staying at the Ronald McDonald house in Chapel Hill to be near their son. This isn't the first time that Julie has asked for prayers and focus on other families through her blog...and I think that shows an amazing attitude. Many people when faced with a tough situation tend to focus on themselves, but not Julie...
2) I read through the blog she referenced yesterday, Confessions of a CF (Cystic Fibrosis) Husband and again was hit as to how blessed Heather and I have been with good health. The strength of this 27 year old man I do not know who has a two (almost three) month old premature child and a wife battling to live is amazing in this blog. Its like a book I can't put down. I can't imagine going through what he is going through with such dignity and hope, but I pray that if I ever find myself in such a situation that God will give me the strength to do so.

For now, I just ask for you to pray for Julie and her husband Dan and their son Ethan as well as Nate, Tricia, and their little daughter Gwyneth.