Day three, Hollister California

So, day three of our adventure led us back to Hollister, not the store with the anorexic models in "hip" clothing, but the REAL Hollister where REAL people live - the place we LOVED for almost 3 years! Big S had one very special friend during those years - they met the very first day of preschool which just also happened to be 9-11. Needless to say, it was a much different day for the kids than it was for the adults, but that's for another post. Anyway, before we moved, we took the girls to Build-a-Bear and had them each make a bear, then they recorded a message for each other and put it in their bear -now how darling is that? For the last 6 1/2 years, Big S had squeezed that bear and heard her friend's voice say "I love you S"! How rockin!!! Anyway, in the last year or so they have emailed back and forth a bit and since it just happened to also be Big S's birthday, the one thing she wanted to do was see her friend! So, we headed down to Hollister and met up with them for lunch at a pizza place - lunch lasted 3+ hours!! Her mom and I chatted like we always used to and Big S and her friend took about 5 seconds to warm up and then the 6 1/2 year gap melted away and there they were, best friends again!! It was better than I could have hoped for! Now, there is also a little brother involved, who is younger than Little G and he was a complete trooper! All those girls and him - thank goodness for the arcade!! The kids all had a great time!

air hockey rocks at any age!!!

last time they had their picture taken together they were 4 1/2 - neither look much different, just bigger!!

When lunch eventually ended, Big S ended up going home with them for a sleepover - just like old time! Ok, so she would rather spend her birthday with her best friend than her family - I knew the day would come, but this was so special that I would never have considered saying no!! Some friends are true friends no matter the time or the distance - I think these two have that type of friendship - lucky girls! Now perhaps they'll replace the old picture that they both still had up in their rooms with this one!!