The OG's!

When Suzy sent her kids a picture of all of us together,

they wrote back, The OG's!

It's really, really good to have OG's even if its been a while since you've been together.

We did a lot of child raising together, side-by-side, hand-in-hand.

When we were traveling back east, our kids unanimously determined that if something happened to dad and me on the trip, they'd call Suzy because she'd know what to do and would take care of them.

The Hoole's were the dream friends because Marty & Nate and Nick & Lucy could run back and forth to each other's houses any time they wanted since we lived so close.

It's been a few years since we've spent meaningful time together--

once our kids went to junior high, and added new friends to their circles,

and we weren't crossing paths at elementary school anymore, and Nick went to Waterford,

we didn't go on family outings like the drive-in movies, fireworks on the 4th, Pioneer Trek, or Cornbelly's or trick-or-treating on Halloween like we had spent together for so many seasons.

The years of family trips together to Hawaii or cruising or to Pagosa

were behind us. 

But when Marty got married and had the drive-by wedding shower (oh Covid, you were weird), 

Suzy was there helping with the planning.

And Kelly and I started walking together again a few times last winter through summer.

Just like that fall the three of us walked together when Kelly couldn't run because she was 

recovering from her brain trauma after falling at girls camp.

Then last year, when Nick, Luke and Lucy were Seniors, we saw each other more often 

accompanied by so much nostalgia for the past and how did our children grow up so fast?

And had conversations about getting together more often, soon, when we are empty nesters.

Then last November, Mike got a brain tumor.

As he puts it, "my brain is broken."

It was discovered on the day they were leaving to go to the U2 concert.

When we left U2 the first time around in October, 

Dan said he had to go back a second time.

And by Chirstmastime when it was evident that Mike was in stable condition, 

and could travel, Dan asked if they wanted to join us.

And when Dan said, we have room to invite another couple,

he and Mike immediately said, "What about the Hoole's?"

We had the best time being with our friends who will always feel like best friends,

even if its been a while. You know what you do when you're with the Rasch's and the Hoole's?

You laugh. Suzy's big, belly laugh. Kelly calling it like it is. Mike with well-timed wry wit.

Greg's observational humor. 

And we also cried.