BFF's

When you were a little kid did you and your best friend talk about what you hoped it would be like when you grew up? The two of you planned to marry twin brothers, live next door to each other, have kids the same ages who would also be best friends. Well, me and my best friend, Sheree (my friend for going on 20 years) have inadvertently coordinated our lives so well that it is comical!

We both just had our first daughters, Ruby and Jordyn. The two babies were born 5 days apart. We have matching outfits for them, so we had to dress them up and take a picture of them together. Sheree's baby, Jordyn, is probably at least 2 lbs. bigger than Ruby--but, Ruby is 5 days older!

Sheree and I also each have 2 sons ages, 2 and 4. Our first babies were also born 5 days apart. Both times this has happened Sheree was due 2 weeks before me. . .but, both times I beat her by 5 days! Here is a picture of Gavin and Ashton (our first babies) at about 5 months old.
Our second children, Nick and Ty, were born 6 months apart. So, even with those two our pregnancies overlapped a little bit. But, we have never, ever, ever planned our pregnancies together. We've never even consulted about it. We've never even said, "I'm thinking about getting pregnant." None of that! We've had babies 5 days apart TWICE. . .and it has been perfectly accidental.

We even lived across the street from each other for almost 3 years while I was living in my parents' house during their mission. That was completely unplanned, too. Now, I have moved--but only about 6 blocks away.

Unfortunately, I still don't see her nearly as much as I would like to. Despite our perfect coordination, there are things you really can't plan or control. Like, our husbands. They are not twin brothers, in fact, they're not even friends. When we were first married we tried to get them to hang out and be friends, but you just can't force those things.

Now that our boys are getting older, we're realizing that you can't necessarily force your kids to be best friends either. Ashton and Gavin are dispositioned very differently, so they don't always get along. Ashton always wants to tackle and wrestle. . .and Gavin is just not down with that!

But, I feel so blessed to still be such good friends with Sheree after so many years. She and I have always been very different, and yet somehow managed to be YIN and YANG and benefit each other with our individual strengths. At this point in our life, she and I have so much in common it is easy to be friends. Especially these last 7 weeks, we have commiserated with all of our postpartum struggles--sleep deprivation, sore breasts, juggling 3 children, etc. I don't even have to make excuses or try to be positive. . .I can say nothing, and just cry, and she completely understands!

The only bad thing about our friendship, is that we don't get to hang out together enough--especially without our children! I told her someday, when we're done having babies, and our kids are older, she and I will go on a cruise--just the two of us.

And wouldn't it be amazing if Ruby and Jordyn really could be BFF's from birth?