Blast from the past

When I was in elementary school we lived in Gainesville and I went to an in home babysitter. Her name was Joyce and she was awesome and so was being around all of the kids there. She only kept afterschool kids and summers. She had a pool, a lot of land, and told the best scary stories around. I vividly remember most of the kids that stayed at Joyce's: Katie and Matt (brother and sister, also our neighbors), Donald and Kevin (brothers), Will and Andy (brothers), Lauren (male), Heather and her sister (see I am forgetting), and there were a handful of others, but these were the prime ones. We all had the same relationships that I would imagine siblings have growing up. I wouldn't know because I am an only child. I am smiling now while writing this post thinking about all the fun times I had during these years.

Of course we all grew up, grew apart, and have moved. Last year I ran in to Donald at NGCSU and we were able to catch up a little. Well on Saturday I ran in to Roxann, the mother of Will and Andy while I was working at our Leadership Conference. She is a student on our other campus and I saw her name on the registration list and wondered if it was the same Roxann. Sure enough it was and we had a nice time catching up. Sadly though, her youngest son Andy was killed when I was in high school. I knew about it, but never had a way to get in touch with her, so it was nice to give my condolences, even if it was over 10 years later.

All of this information is a lead in to this: Roxann sent me this picture today of her son Will's birthday party eons ago and I just had to post it. We live in a small world and when you run in to people that you were so connected with it really warms your heart, at least it does mine.

Pictured from left: Andy, me, unknown, unknown (seated), Donald (standing), Lauren, unknown (standing), Keving (background sitting), Will (only see part of face, but he is in front of the cake).