Mommathon

I have been thinking a lot about friendships this past week. At Liam’s old school I was friends with many of the moms and still talk with them around the neighborhood. But let’s be honest, we are neighbors and yes I see them, but I don’t see them as often as I used to because our kids don’t go to the same school, so we are a bit out of the loop. All of my friends from church have kids who go to different schools than my kids. I belong to a group at church for people who have young children, but my kids are getting older and I won’t be able to join that group anymore in a year or two. How will I maintain my friendships with these people who I may or may not see at Mass on a weekly basis? Which gets me to my point. Friendships take work. I have known my dear friends, Dana and Christie, for 20 years although we haven’t lived in the same state for most of those years. I always see Christie when she comes in town and we e-mail and chat on the phone occassionally. I don’t get to see or talk to Dana as much, but we still keep in touch via e-mail and blogs. (I should call you Dana, but the time difference is a killer.) I used to have a neighbor who I was friends with who now lives in Colorado. She has lived there for about 5 years. We still keep in touch and we almost always get together, even if it is just for lunch, when she comes to town. It is important for me to keep up my friendships with my neighbors as well, so I am going to have to be pro-active. Not only is this important for me, but it is important for the kids to maintain the friendships they have made with the neighborhood kids as well. We rearranged our plans on Saturday because Liam’s friend wanted to come over and play about the time we were getting ready to walk out the door. That same friend is spending the night tonight. I know Liam doesn’t see it as work, but if you don’t hold up your end, friendships can easily fizzle. I am sure I will have great friends with the mom’s at our new school and I will have to work at maintaining the friendships that I have made at church when I cross that bridge in a few years. It may seem like I am complaining, but I am doing exactly the opposite. How blessed we are to have neighborhood friends, church friends AND school friends. 🙂