ASHLYNN & BOSTON: A good but hard lesson: Momlife

I have noticed that in the last few years I have become really standoffish towards people... that might be the wrong word so, let me explain better. I am usually polite to most people I meet and I I am not exceptionally shy, I can and usually will say hello to new colleges, neighbors or any other people I meet but that's about as far s my interactions go. I have just come to realize in my life that people, like most things, are temporary, (minus family) and I would deal with a never really knew them than a goodbye. I guess I let them world harden me a little as I became a product of my enviroment.

Growing up in my neighborhood in the early years their was a bunch of little boys and me. The one who I spent the most time with, my little buddy, was named Landon. We didn't have crushes on each other, it wasn't that type of little relationship, he was like my brother. We went through a lot together, fun times like family vacations and cookouts along with the hard times like the deaths of both of our dads. The best part about our friendship is that our moms happened to be amazing friends as well. They would take us fun places to play with us, we lived right next door to each other so we were constantly running back and forth in to each others house and in the evenings our mom's would drink Diet Cokes together to unwind and chat while they watched us play. In my mind, that's what the conception of motherhood I had created in my head. The problem with that though was that I didn't have a lot of mom friends and I don't let myself become too close of friends with anyone as it is.

At the end of last summer we had a new family move in right across from us. They seemed decent enough so one day I introduced Boston and myself to them. I told them that it was just us two, we lived across from them and to let us know if they had any questions. That was is... that was basically our interaction for a long time. I didn't have a problem with them and I said hello to them when we were both outside but because of my usual standoffish self that's how it remained for a lot of months.

One day the weather was warm and Boston and I were outside playing and her and her three kids, (9 year old girl, 5 year old boy and 1 year old baby boy) came outside and started playing, too. Boston seemed to be having fun playing with the kids so I let my walls down a bit and started visiting with their mom, Emilie. It became really exciting because she got me. She was fun and kind. And I began looking forward to coming home for Boston to play with her kids and me to catch up with Em. We live right across from each other so it worked out perfect because soon enough our kids were running back and forth in between our houses and it turns out she likes Diet Coke just as much as I do, so I was either borrowing a can from her or picking us up both a giant fountain cup of it from the gas station for us. Their isn't one member of her little family that Boston and I don't think is great... She is amazing and talented and happens to do hair as well so I made her do mine a few times, her husband, Caleb who is close to finishing vet school is one of the only other people I know who watches the same Youtube shows as me, the oldest, Kezlin is so sweet and helpful and loves helping with Boston. Baby Atti is the sweetest baby and for some reason just loves cuddling me. The five year old boy, Ryker, has become Boston's partner in crime and those two love playing with each, she asks about playing with him right when she wakes up, and the little freckles on his nose and his big smile remind me so much of my own little best friend growing up, Landon. I shared with them my anklet making skills and now to my delight every member of their family has one on and they shared with us their homemade chocolate cookies.

This has been great for us.... but, just like my realization of people being temporary it happened again and today is their moving day, they are headed off to Washington for Calebs last bit of Vet school. I find myself as usual somewhat wishing I wouldn't have gotten so attached to them and becoming so dependent on them because goodbye's are the hardest for me. But, for the first time I have found myself wishing I had put my walls down a bit sooner and had gotten the chance to have them in our lives sooner. The winter would have been a lot more tolerable if we had the same relationship then as we do now and Emilie and I could drink our Diet Cokes inside warmly discussing life as we watched our cute kids play around.

I am going to miss them like mad and I am going to be sad for Boston for losing her little friends but I think they taught me something. The Gwilliam family taught me that it is okay to let your walls down, it is okay to make new friends and that not every person has to be temporary. We are actually planning a trip to see them. Mine and Boston's front door wont be open for the kids to run back and forth anymore but their family has helped me realize I don't need to keep my door permanently shut to people. People leaving is hard. Saying goodbye to people is the worst. But, they have helped teach me that goodbye's don't always have to be forever but rather just a change from what you're used to. I'm pretty positive they were sent to our lives for a reason, a lesson for me.

XO:
Ashlynn&Boston
BRONSON

Boston getting some help flying a kite with Kezlin.

All of the kids playing on the swings.

All of the adorable kids on the night I babysat them so their parents could have one more date night in Logan... Disclaimer, I will give mad props to parents with more that one child (well, most parents) that was a ton of work going from one child to four of hours.

Boston and her best little buddy, Ryker. She said she wishes he was her brother. He was always so sweet to her and even put his favorite dinosaur toy away when she said it scared her.