Chicago: College Reunion 2010

Last weekend I had the good fortune to travel to Chicago to visit three of my college roommates. We had been planning the trip for months, with strings of emails squeezed in during the day; debating which city, what days, and who would be able to make the trip. These are the same girls that I used to spend endless hours with in our dorms, then apartment and finally senior year house having "table talk" as we used to call it. Discussing the endless details and visions of what our futures would be, who we would one day meet, planning and plotting as to how it would all turn out.

Over ten years later, so many of those details have played out. We find ourselves living our lives as mothers, and partners and wives, and trying so very hard to still be a friend when we can to each other.

But it is hard. It is so very hard, to find the time to get together, even one weekend a year. It is hard to plan out the details of the trip, and who will watch the babies.  But we know that we must do it.  We must become those girls again. We must honor them and their vision. And we simply must have some fun. :)

As soon as we arrive in the city, I can barely contain my excitement as we anticipate Jen's exit on North Avenue off of 90.  We take it to Sheffield, then Willow, and finally to Dayton. The people of Chicago surround us on the streets, dressed in their North face jackets and scarves draped across their necks. (Two things I know for sure about going to Chicago are 1.) it will be freezing cold no matter what the season, and 2.) I will not be wearing anything that anyone there is currently wearing. This however, always ensures a good shopping trip is in order.)  We turn down Jen's beautiful tree-lined street with the tall condo's in a row. They are beautiful and grand and it is so good to be back to this familiar place.

Once everyone arrives, it is a flurry of hugs, and more hugs, and showing off pictures and laughter. We admire the newest petite yaya, the beautiful Harper. She is exquisite and immediately I feel the hunger for another one of my own. We ooh and ahh, and she is bouncing on her little baby legs in her tiny pants, and I think, when was my Lauren ever that small?

The rest of the weekend is a flurry of shopping...with mimosas at BCBG, bath bombs at Lush, monkey shirts for the kids at Paul Frank, Arden B for new going out outfits, and too many more to mention.  Lunch is bagels at Chicago Bagel Authority, of course. We take turns showering just like old times, debate outfits and makeup and take lots of pics. Then it is time for a cab to Sushi Samba for a toast over dirty martini's (extra dirty) and sushi we share.  Then out to District, where I see girls in their early 20's wearing no makeup dancing on top of chairs and dancing with strangers and generally not giving a damn. It is good to see these girls and remember, and instead of being annoyed, I am enthralled by their energy.

By Sunday, I miss my baby so much it physically hurts. I wake up at 8am and cannot believe how many stops and hours it will be before I am back with her.  I have been doing too much, and been gone too many weekends. We did nothing last year when she was an infant, and we have been taking no prisoners with our weekends this year. But I am ready to be back to her as soon as I can get to her, and I am counting the minutes until I can see her little face and hold her close to me.

We say our goodbyes, and make the long drive home. Another reunion has come and gone. Our friendships are still in tact. I treasure them more every year. We trek back with new memories, back to our families, our roles, back to the lives that we have carved out for ourselves, leaving those girls behind once again, until the next time we are reunited.
♥ V :)