eVoLuTioN

The eVoLuTioN of friendship...

Meet MELT. It's an acronym for Mindy, Erin, Leah and Teresa. Yes, we really do talk about ourselves in the third-person narrative (although this would be fifth-person… ha)

Erin and I have been friends since we were three or four years old. My mom was a stay at home mom at the time and babysat several neighbor kids. One was Erin. We spent a lot of hours playing and entered Kindergarten together at St. Joseph’s School. We spent the next twelve grades together.

Leah’s mom and my mom were in Le Leche League together, so technically we met then. It makes much more sense to say we met in Kindergarten in that same class with Erin.

Mindy and I didn’t meet until freshman year of high school. Mindy and I had first period Environmental Science together; two farm girls, we quickly clicked.

I don’t remember at all how we separated ourselves as a foursome. In reality, we were all friends with lots of different groups and each of us was so.different. from the others. That didn't stop us from being the best of friends and making lots of memories together. 

We all chose our respective colleges, none of them the same. Mindy went to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Erin to St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana, Leah to the University of Iowa in Iowa City and I chose Iowa State University in Ames. Hundreds of miles separated us, but thanks to email (a new technology back then!) we were able to keep in touch.

I don’t remember any rifts in the friendship.

Oh, except for that one.

And it was all my fault. And it involved a boy. And it was ridiculous on my part. And, thankfully, they all forgave me.

Our friendship has evolved over the years.

We used to…
…play with stuffed animals
…have slumber parties
…play with sidewalk chalk
…cruise in Mindy’s car
…discuss plans for college breaks
…giggle about boyfriends
…spend a weekend with Mindy during J-term

Then the conversation changed to…
…career choices
...soon-to-be husbands
…planning bachelorette parties
…planning weddings
…baby-making
…baby-having

Now we talk about…
…daycare
…children’s milestones
…swapping recipes
…husbands
…religion
…economy
…aging parents
…diets

And we always laugh about “back then” stories.  We still have slumber parties, too.  Sort of.  As often as we can find the time {and an excuse} we converge on someone's house {husband and children beware}.  Then we talk... and talk... and talk until we laugh so hard we cry.  Then we are reminded that it doesn't matter how old we get, we are the same girls who colored sidewalks together 15 years ago.

Brent and I married in 2003. Mindy and Steve married in 2005. Leah and Jaret married in 2007. Erin and Scott are getting married in 2011. Among the group, we have four babies – Lucas, Tate, Toby and Hannah. Mindy is having a baby in July. We all hope there are more babies for MELT.

Our friendship has evolved but our camaraderie is the same. We live in four different places but still observe the milestones -- in celebration and in sadness. Many tears have been shed, shoulders leaned on, and prayers said. Oh my, the countless prayers said for each other, our families, our unborn babies, the diagnosis, the life changing events. 
We are blessed to have this truly lifelong friendship and we never take it for granted.

Teresa, Leah, Erin, Mindy

April 2011