When worlds collide - it ain't all bad!

As a retired Seinfeld fan, there are times even now when I recall certain episodes. The one where George didn't want his girlfriend to meet his friends is a great one. He didn't want independent George and relationship George to meet. It would cause the destruction of independent George.

I thought about this episode when friends got together on Saturday evening. We've met up before. Usually it takes a visit from El Paso to get everyone together, but hey it *does* happen. Neil and I have been married long enough that I only think about the George scenario in jest because it's not even close to the kind of relationship we have. Neil has become part of "the group" and fits in quite nicely.

Emma, Melissa (who couldn't make it this go 'round), and Kat and I have been friends since that first summer at UT. They have been like the sisters I never had growing up and I know that despite all my shortcomings, they love me no matter what. They are probably the truest friends I've ever had. They were in my wedding for that reason. As we continued through college, we all made other friends, but still remained close. Their friends became our friends and even though time passes between visits and phone calls, we have the luxury of knowing we can pick up the phone and call and there is no awkward silence, wondering who is on the other end. It's just like old times. Our freshman year we used to go to the Phi Kappa Theta frat parties and started meeting new friends. My missing year in college is when Emma joined a sorority {Sigma Lambda Gamma}, the local chapter founded by our friend, Cynthia. Her then boyfriend, Jesse (now her husband), also founded the new fraternity chapter, Sigma Lambda Beta. When I came back, I had a bunch of new friends (paid for, I jest, by Emma's membership). To this day we still chat via Facebook and even meet up for breakfast or pedicures.

Saturday we got to visit with my good buddy, Emma and her family who came through town for a family wedding and though it was a short visit, it was a lot of fun. I took some pictures and had Neil take some of us because you never know when the next visit will be, ya know? Our families have come a long way and our kids play wonderfully with each other.

Friends are everything. You don't have much say in who your family is but you can pick your friends and there isn't a single thing I'd change about mine. They're like handpicked family.

Now, if we could just get Jesse to come next time and bust out with some dance moves a la the old school frat parties it would complete the visit!!

{HOOK 'EM!!Dio & Emma - I've known Emma for 15 years! I met Dio when
I got back to college - Emma and Cindy were roommates and she and Dio were dating at the time}

{Emma says something gross I can't remember and lucky for her because I'd totally tell!}

{Kat and Neil - Dio thought it would add some spice to the party so he brought out his acoustic guitar
and asked Neil to play for us. Kat and Neil share a birthday, two years apart.}
{Not the greatest of photos, I include it because it's one of the few with Sal, Emma's husband (striped shirt), in it. JT - on the left - and Dio are chatting it up...no doubt about something guy like since there are no girls to be found. ;-) }
{Kat and her boyfriend, Kirk. She has a bad habit of wearing her shades
on her head once the sun goes down too...just like me.}
{Kat and Emma - I know she's going to kill me for posting this one, but I LOVE it!}{Ok, the real deal...}

{Paige and Emma's mini me, Isabella. Paige was sold on her being her best friend when all I had to do
was tell her her name. Paige's best friend at preschool was Isabella too.}

{Yup, we let them play in the backyard by themselves in the dark.
They practically had to be peeled off the hammock they had so much fun!}

{A real friend tells you when you have strawberry seeds in your teeth.}

{Neil got a little camera happy - possibly because he knows my policy of having friends
who are beautiful both inside and out - he took advantage of photographing such stunning beauty.}{Are we done yet??}

{Some of the kids - those who would stand still long enough. Top left, Emmanuel - Emma and Sal's oldest and also Paige's age; middle, Mia - Cindy and Dio's oldest; Paige; Bella doing cutsey things with her hands and little JT, JT's middle kiddo.}

{The guys sitting around talking about...uh, let's say real estate. Or Mexican comedians. Again.}
{The kids all played so nicely together. Not a single meltdown!}

{Cindy, Cynthia - who got there a little late and so we posed again so everyone could be included - me, Kat, and Emma}