Messiah Reunion 2015

The same day as the Fall Festival, which if you read the last post you also remember was the same weekend that LL was out of the state for work, was Messiah College's Homecoming.  Since I teach at Messiah, I'm there twice a week, but many of our friends haven't been back in a long time, and it was a great opportunity to get together and see everyone! I feel so blessed that I have a wonderful group of friends from college, and many of us still get together 15 years after graduation. (We're just gonna pretend that wasn't that long ago, okay? Mercy, I'm feeling old!).  In any event, we friends from various parts of the state we were returning to Messiah, so I loaded the 3 kids in the MV, and off we went for the hour and half drive. (Which I wouldn't have been concerned about without Carsick Baby.) We actually made it to the parking lot of Messiah without Elliott getting sick, and then as soon as I got ready to get him out, he threw up everywhere. :(  At least we were stopped so I could clean him up right away!

Out of my close college friends, and the ones who came to Homecoming, I am the only one with more than 2 kids, and I am the one with the youngest kids. (With Nora coming in a close second!) Aaaaaaaaaaand I was the only one going without a spouse. Which could have been a recipe for disaster, but my friends are awesome, and they all pitched in---helping get the stroller over stairs, making sure Trey didn't get lost (hello, distractable three year old), and helping us with the logicistics of bathrooms, buffet lines, etc.  Thanks again, friends! :)

Since it is hard to push a stroller and hold kids' hands, I asked if the kids could stick with a buddy.  Collette immediately paired up with Caleb, the son of our friends Danielle and Matt. These two were actually born just two days apart, you can check out the pictures of one of their baby visits here.) Collette and Caleb have seen each other a few times, but not recently.  However, they were instantly good buddies.  Caleb even turned to his mom and told her "It looks I've got me a new girlfriend!" To which Danielle replied, "I didn't even know you had an old girlfriend!" HA! 

We decided to go down to the Yellow Breeches river, by the swinging bridge. We spent lots of time there, pretending to study, and hanging out, when we were students. :) 

(Thanks to Jess and Brad Weld for many of these pictures!)

Some of the kiddos by the river.

And Trey didn't want to be left out. 

Here are the two best buddies.  I told Danielle that I would work on an arranged marriage in about 20 years. :) And we both agreed that that would make both of our families very happy.  If you don't remember the story about how LL and I, and Danielle and her hubby, ended up together, THIS may refresh your memory.) When Caleb saw this picture, he said, "That's my favorite-est picture I was ever taken in!" 

More of the kiddos down by the river.

My amazing friends.  Nora, Bethanne, Jess, and Danielle.

After a pretty crazy dinner (in the dining hall where we ate every meal back in the day), in which we all got up 20 times to retrieve various items for kids, and really didn't talk to each other at all, we decided to attempt a group picture. Ha! This is the best we got.  

The funny thing is, we actually have a picture of these 5 couples from 10 years ago, the last time we got together at Messiah! Since then, Nora and I have each had 2 kids (that is little Collette that Nora is holding), so our group has grown a bit! 

I am so thankful for such a great group of friends!