Reason # 731 That I Love My Life

I could go on for hours about why my life is awesome.  Honestly.  Sure, it's not perfect.  I have many problems, but really when compared to the blessings, they don't amount to much.  But tonight I want to share with you one specific awesomeness about my life:  My friends.

I love my friends.  But mostly I love that my friends have kids that my kids love as much as I love their parents. When I was growing up, my parents had friends, I had friends, but my friends' parents didn't even know mine and if they did, they weren't really "friends".  Even in the small community in which I lived, it seemed our lives were separate in that area.

I don't know if this is "normal" or if it's a "church" thing or a "homeschool" thing.  I honestly hope many, many others are blessed in the way that I am.  My kids love to play with the kids of my friends.  Any group of my friends can get together and our kids will have a good time.

For example, tonight my friend Amanda (from Cooking Three Handed) had a  birthday party for her 5 year old.  She also has, currently residing in her house, a two year old, an infant and a slew of dogs.  Despite the fact that the oldest is 5 and I have 3 older than him, my kids LOVE going to play at their house.  They LOVE having the kids over to our house.  Another friend came with her kids, much the same ages as mine.  Her older children also enjoy playing with the younger ones.  They all play elaborate games, usually including all age levels, happily!

Now, don't think this means we don't have fighting and whining.  We do.  We have to stop bickering, enforce toy sharing, and generally discipline children throughout the course of the night.  But what strikes me as really cool is that when asked who they want to have at an event, birthday party or whatever, it is ALWAYS someone whose parents are my friends.  And they always want the whole family.  They usually don't ask for one of the 5 or 6 kids from a given family, they ask for them by family. 

I would love to hear from others outside of my little world.  Is this a common experience that other families share?  It is amazing to me, but I love it.  I know the day will come when this isn't always the case, but I love that when it comes time for a birthday party and I get to see my friends, too!