Murray, KY: Home to Taco John's, the Racers, my BFF Tricia, and 10 of the 15 homes I have had in my life

I went back "home" to Murray this past weekend.  And I still love it.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a city girl in my own way.  I like having great libraries and parks and cultural events and fellow liberals to walk amongst.  But I do miss some things about small town living.  The baby cones at Dairy Queen, the way (mostly) everyone is nice in traffic, how clean the Wal Mart is.  And of course, more than anything, I miss Tricia.  Our oldest babies are about 6 weeks apart, and we have been friends since they were teeny zucchinis.  The baby I lost in 2005 would be just a week or so younger than her son.  She is one of my two close friends, the one who knows my heart, my first and best true mama friend.

And I miss living close enough to her that we can see each other all the time.  Our friendship is the type that flows smoothly.  I'm fairly confident that we could be next door neighbors and that would work out great.  I have a little fantasy about it in my head, even: we have coffee together in the mornings, work out together, see the kids off to school.  Once a week or so we have dinner and force our equally non participatory husbands to play board games with us.  We take turns watching each others kiddos with no one taking advantage or keeping score.  The kids would just go in and out of both houses, like they have a "bonus mom" next door.  The days where I never speak to another adult would be gone, and so (hopefully) would be the times when I feel like I am just so alone that I can't cope.  Everyone needs a friend like that.  And no matter how far apart we live, I am grateful to have one in her.  She is probably my favorite thing out of Canada since The Red Green Show and Mounties.

Here are some pics from our trip.  It makes me feel so grateful and gushy to see all four of our kids together.

Bows are very haute.

Rainbow Fake Hair = Awesome!