Oldies but WINNERS!

This weekend, the kids and I caravanned with my sister, her four kids and my mom up to Eau Claire. The purpose was dual-fold. First was a high school graduation party for my cousin's daughter, Sara. I wrote about Sara's mom, Sue, and Sara's Grandma, my Aunt Judy, awhile back, and Sara is just another wonderful girl (young woman? lady?) in the line of wonderful women. I looked through the many years of dance that she did, and the amazing talent she showed in her drum show, and was happy for her, but sad that I feel like I missed so much. She had never seen Ava before, and hadn't seen Max since he was a baby. It's so difficult to stay connected. There's so much busyness going on. And it's far away!

Also this weekend, I played in a HS alumni volleyball tournament. When we were seniors, we got second place at state, so we got most of the old team together again. We were the oldest team there, but... WE WON! It was so much fun. We started playing, and it was like we were just back in high school. Only a little slower. And we couldn't walk the next day. And did I mention we won? Seriously, it was no easy task to beat the teams with the kids who recently graduated. We barely eeked by some games, but never lost a single one. Woo hoo! Here is us then:

And now:

It was way too much fun. Some of them I hadn't seen for 18 years, but it was like no time had passed. Afterwards, Heidi, Jenny and Jodi came to hang out with me and catch up in the hotel we stayed at. They brought Starbucks for fear that alcohol would make them fall asleep (old!). The visit was even extended as Jenny and Jodi had to hang out at the hotel as some severe weather hit and all the power went out. It was nice to catch up on our lives, and I keep realizing how different 35 can be for everyone--married, not married, divorced, kids, no kids, step kids, everything. But being different at 35 is ok... the self-confidence is different at 35 than at 17. The acceptance, and understanding of life is different. The time with them was great but strange... I had no responsibility, no four kids, no husband, no mortgage. It was just us, playing together again. For just one day, to enjoy feeling like 17 again.