You know you've reached a certain age when...

I decided to start my blog with a picture.  I know,  I know.  You've all seen my millions of selfies.  This picture has two fold significance to the blog.  One is that old ladies (LOL) still got it and that you shouldn't let time and space get between good old friends.

This picture is of my former co-worker and super great friend, Katie and me at the Rascal Flatts concert in 2007.  She and I used to do all kinds of things together.  She was single and I was sort of single (married, without children, and hubby doesn't like having ANY fun).  We met for dinner, shopped, dancing, you name it.  We were game for anything that sounded like a fun!

Unfortunately, life happened and we just got away from each other.  There was no real reason.  We have been Facebook friends for a long time, so we were able to keep up with the other's life.  In the last year or so, we've had the opportunity to spend small bits of time together.  She's married now and I have three kids, so time is a difficult commodity to acquire to spend relaxing with friends.

This leads me to the next picture.  This is Katie and me now.  Yes, seven years later.  We are at another Rascal Flatts concert.  Compare the two pictures.  Do we look much different to you?  Of course our hair has changed and it's dark in the latest picture, but overall, there's very little change.  I'll admit, I think we look pretty stinkin' good for two ladies who are approaching our fortieth birthdays.

Katie and I both like to shop.  We are excellent shoppers.  We love deals.  We insist on being fashionable.  I will say that Katie is far more fashionable than I am, but I think she's more in tune with what's new and trendy.  I know more about Bubble Guppies, The Octonauts, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  I can bust out a Disney tune at the drop of a hat.  Which, by the way, Katie, if you're reading this, you need to see Cars.  Cheryl Crowe's song is the best intro to a movie. If you see either of us, we generally look fabulous for any event,  This is where I'm going to hit the first reason for this blog.

Katie and I decided at the last minute to go to the Rascal Flatts concert.  The weather in Pittsburgh has been so weird all summer and Mother Nature didn't let us down for this event.  The forecast had changed at least three times from Thursday to Saturday.  Rain all day, scattered showers, spotty showers...snow?  I don't know.  We were texting back and forth about what to wear.  I'm always cold and so is Katie, so a jacket or sweater were a must.  We really wanted to wear our cowboy boots, but the forecast was too iffy to risk it.  The end result of the crazy weather and the possibility of rain.  I, in my tank top, fleece shirt, and fleece vest, with my Coach scarf as an accessory (Let's be honest.  You know I wore the scarf because I was afraid my head would get cold and I would wrap that baby around my noggin like a Baba.), jeans and my rain boots.  Katie was a bit more lenient with her garb.  She went for the short sleeved shirt, pink jacket, jeans and matching pink polka-dotted rain boots.  Where am I going, you may ask?  Katie and I figured out that we have reached the age where we would really like to continue to look cute, but we are willing to sacrifice it for comfort (not being cold or wet).  We did our best to pull things together enough that even in our warm, dry gear, that we still look fashionable for a couple of late thirty somethings.  We rocked it!  I don't care what anyone says.  We can rock a pair of rain boots like no other!

Don't let your age dictate what you wear or how you view yourself.  I realize I'm not twenty and I don't dress like a twenty year old, but I stay up-to-date and my kids won't be embarrassed that my pants touch my bra and that I wear black orthopedic shoes with white socks.  Wear what makes you feel good, not what you have time.  If that was the case, I would live in race tee shirts and Yoga pants (and I don't do Yoga).  Put on your make up, style your hair, buy a pair of heels!  Be funky, be hip. Get your girl on!

The second part of my blog has to do with us losing track of each other.  When we arrived at the venue, we got food and sat and talked.   We talked about how much fun we have shared, St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pittsburgh (if you haven't done it, you need to get there), Saddle Ridge for a country show, Rascal Flatts many moons before...In the time we talked, I realized that I missed my friend and all the fun we had together and ironically enough, it was because neither of our husband's care to go to concerts that we ended up at this one.  I posted on Facebook that I wished I could be there, a friend posted that she had available tickets, and Katie offered to be my concert buddy.  It was so nice to be able to pick up where we left off, as if time never passed.

If you have a friend that you have not spent time with in a while, call her.  Make dinner plans, see a movie, invite her for dessert, since you've turned into Betty Crocker.  Don't let your friends get away from you.  Time and space are a nasty thing for friendships, or any relationship.  It's too easy to be too busy.  Make time for those special people.  As we get older, it's harder and harder to connect with people because we settle into our daily routine (and family always first).  We work, we come home, we go to Yoga, we take the kids to practice, whatever your schedule is.  There's no change in scenery and no change in the social circle.  Don't let go of those people who have brought you joy!

Katie and I met through work.  She was the reading specialist in my building.  I was one of the literacy aides who worked under her.  I took a teaching job at a far away district and our paths don't cross.  I hope that we are able to do things together again.  We are too fashionable and too much fun not to continue what we started long ago.  You should think about your old friends and do the same.