People come into our lives everyday. Some stay for a few moments, some a few years. And some we can’t get rid of, even if we tried. I feel we often group friends into time periods of our lives. These are my “hometown friends,” “college girls,” “work buddies.” But what do you call the people who have been in your life longer then you can remember?? Life long friends. Literally.
My sister and I are only about 20 months apart in age. We’re close in a lot of ways. Growing up, I often heard things like, “your sister is the friend you get to bring with” or “she gets to play too.” She would drive me completely crazy as she was ALWAYS in my business and trying to hang out with me. As time passed, our relationship grew. Each year I become less and less her big sister, and more her friend and confidant. We have traveled through schooling, marriage and motherhood together. We still drive each other crazy, but we’ve also developed a deep love for each other. We have come to know that no matter what life throws at us, we will always have each other.
There are two women in my life whom I have known longer then my sister. Over 30 years of friendship. My two very best friends. These were my neighbors growing up, going to daycare together. We were close all through school . We played sports, went to bible camp, and had countless sleep overs. These were the people I told first about my pregnancies, they were my bridesmaids. These women have seen me through some really dark days along with my absolute biggest celebrations. My children call them “Aunties.” They are family.
While we grew up in homes a few feet apart, we have gone in very different directions. One stayed in our home town where she is a nurse and mom. Another is getting her PhD in Madison, Wisconsin. The third has a master’s degree in social work and is living in Sydney, Australia. And I’m raising my family in small town Iowa. Needless to say, we don’t get together often. So when Ms. Australia came home for her brother’s wedding, we knew we had to get together. Due to family needs, geography and economic efficiency, we decided to gather in Waukon. While this sleepy town might not appear to have much going on, we had a fantastic time.
No matter how much time has passed since we were last together (almost two years), we pick up right where we left off. I haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time. We had plans change due to weather, but we enjoyed a winery, walking in the rain, lots of good food, beautiful scenery, and quality time. We made memories.
I can’t imagine where I would be in life without with people, and I would never, ever want to find out. I love them completely. They are my people. They always have been, they always will be.
Happy Harvesting,
Leah
Harvesting Roots 
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