Strange Changes — do one thing

This weekend was an absolute blur.

A trip to Colorado was in the books.

And not just any trip to Colorado, but one for one of my very best friend’s wedding!

How weird is it that my closest friends, the ones I went to kindergarten with, are now getting married, having kiddos, living that adult life.

Where did the time go?!

Anyway, this trip reminded me the importance of friendship.

Cheesy, right?

But I’m serious.

I flew out to Denver on Thursday evening.

Quick appreciation note for Spokane International Airport for being the most relaxed, least busy, efficient airport ever. Much thanks.

Friday was a relaxing day because my parents were working all day, and really none of my good friends live in Longmont anymore.

I got to read, nap, and take my pup for a walk.

Friday night was a girls’ night with my mom. We drank Moscow Mules, watched Bridesmaids, and got caught up on life. Truly a needed night (plus my dad always seems more invested in our girly movies than we are, and I love that).

Saturday was my best friend’s wedding.

He’s married now to a beautiful bride, and is now the proud father of a seven-year-old, beautiful girl.

We started the day by getting our nails done. A little treat for the celebration.

We then spent the afternoon getting ready.

This included mimosas, pizza, hair, makeup, outfit decisions, mini dance parties, the works.

Memories were made, and boy, do we clean up GOOD!

Then we went off to the wedding.

It was a cute church in Niwot, Colorado.

The ceremony was outside in a field with a beautiful view of Longs Peak (one of the 53 peaks in Colorado that is over 14,000 feet high). It was followed by a reception in the church.

If I am being completely honest with you, it was such a strange day.

The wedding was beautiful.

The bride was gorgeous.

The groom was handsome.

The flower girl was adorable.

There was so much pure, innocent, young love in the air.

It could not have been more perfect for this couple.

The entire time though, the rest of us friends were melancholy.

Our best friend for upwards of 20 years was getting married.

He no longer needs us as his primary means of support.

This doesn’t mean we won’t be there for him, it just means we aren’t his official first text with news.

That’s a weird feeling.

A strange change after 20 years.

It got me thinking about how valuable friends are.

How important it is to cherish times with them.

How quickly life flies by.

My best friends are a group of five of us who grew up together, and now all of their significant others.

We are just about the most different people who could ever be in the same room, yet we are still so incredibly close.

It’s the kind of friendship where you love them so much, that no matter what they do (crazy, weird, etc), you can never be upset for too long. You just love them so much.

Their friendship and physical presence means more than any fight we could have.

It’s more important than any differences we have.

This has been an interesting realization for me.

That no matter what we go through as friends, we will all still be there for each other for the 2am phone calls, a game of Pictionary, or a wild camping trip.

Those are the kind of friends you should surround yourself with.

The unwavering ones.

The unapologetic ones.

The ones that will be brutally honest with you.

The ones that love you unconditionally.

It’s such a beautiful thing.

I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have friends like them.

And this weekend was a wonderful reminder of that.