Still Going Steady

                Kindergarten                                                                    First Grade

Niamh and Jaya are still the best of friends. I hope I get to take this photo of them together every year until college. And if they became college roommates and Finn and Sasha got married, well, I’d be the happiest person ever. (Actually, I have a few hopes for Finn’s future spouse. Hadley and Simone are also on the list. I’m really thinking of myself and who I want his in-laws to be. And if Cannon turns out to be his type, well, I’m good with that too.)

I remember how I broke up with my best friend, Emily Dean, around grade 5. I don’t know why I did it. I’m pretty sure I was the one who wanted to see other people. I joined up with the likes of Jennifer Lupient, Eleanor Duplissea, Angela Bellino, and Michelle Dianda. All were great friends to have, but I was never as close with them as I was with Emily. Then, Emily moved to Sacramento. I search facebook for her every now and then, but I haven’t been able to locate her. She’d probably decline my friend request anyway.

Niamh and Jaya, however, have a mutual love for one another that continues to be strong. It has been interesting to see their relationship grow to the point of complete comfort with one another and with our families. They fight like sisters at times, and always make up. And, when Jaya is at our house, she speaks to me now. She used to speak to me through Niamh. She’d lean over, whisper something to Niamh, and then Niamh would tell me what Jaya wanted: a glass of water, to watch television, to play outside…

And, I continue to admire Jaya’s sense of style. This kid wears flowered Doc Marten ankle boots! I’m in awe.