Panoramic?

I've known Nicole since middle school... but we became best friends by first, getting into trouble. 1995 was a good year... that is all I will divulge.

Years passed... We spent the night at each others' houses, shared clothes, called boys, and dreamed about our futures. I didn't go anywhere without Nicole at my side. When I moved back from Germany in 2000, I spent my first night back at her house, and got snowed in! It was awesome! We rented Clueless and ate Subway, I think.

Nicole is my BFF.

I cried when her dog Schwartz died. I threatened the boys who broke her heart. I listened to her Mom, because she is my second mother. I made her threaten the boys who broke my heart. I got a Belk Card and a Credit Card because she had one. When her hair was long, so was mine. She taught me how to take photos of myself by turning the camera around - haha. Nicole was the first person to ride in my car, when I got my license. We enrolled in college classes at the same time and she was with me when I bought wine coolers when I turned 21. We lived together in college, I was her maid-of-honor, and she was the only friend at my wedding. We both lived in Marion for a while and we frequently met to run. Our jobs even crossed paths... because we both work with children.

Then she had Macy, and I was there... waiting and pacing with her Mom! 
I had Ava, and she came to visit, and cuddled Ava.
I held Brody when he was days old.
She held both of the twins, on their first day of life.
I saw Koby when he was less than 24 hours old, and touched his beautiful face. 

Our kids invite each other to their birthday parties. I enjoy these times more than anything I have ever done. Seriously.

Macy turned 5 this week... Standing outside of Nicole's house on Saturday, as we celebrated the big day, I heard Macy yell "Ava! Come here!" It made me reminisce of all the BRTs (be right there), Pepsi freezes, late night phone calls, hurricane stay at home days, watermelon striped shirt guys, blizzards in Boone, Big City Jazzes, drive-bys, pink and yellow decorations, pool days, taco making in bikinis, phi-snakes, El Chapala nights, ROXANNES, Britney-fests, NCAF club meetings, and undoubtedly the list goes on.

I was reminded that we are family... and I wasn't leaving without a picture of our crew. A picture we joked about for her entire pregnancy with Koby, child number 3. We were sure we would need a panoramic camera to capture the moment!

Panoramic? Maybe not... but Nicole and Carly loving six kids, absolutely!