Friday Flashbaxx: My Top Seven

Tomorrow is an important day, a day that I look forward to all year long.  UMD/MoA Saturday, the annual meet-up at the Mall of America with six of the bestiest besties, my best girlfriends from college, the most amazing group of women I've ever had the honor of calling friends.  Tomorrow I will see six of My Top Seven, which is what I started calling this group when we went our separate ways after college.  One of my Seven, Katie, lives in Portland, and I'm very sad to say that I have not seen her for four years.

Let's go back in time:

This is a photo of the Residence Hall and Apartment Resident Advisors at the University of Minnesota, Duluth in August of 1993.  Five of the Top Seven were RAs with me that year -- Jana, Jody, Jacqueline, Heather, and LeeAnn.  Another, Katie, who had also been an RA, had graduated and moved on.  And the seventh, Teresa, was not an RA but has the heart and integrity of one just the same.

Many years have passed since that photo was taken.  Many lessons have been learned.  We have fallen in love, married, had children.  Life has brought us joys and challenges.  I would not be the person I am if I did not have these seven women with whom to share those ups and downs.  I cannot imagine my life without them.  They are the truest of friends.

Here is a photo of last year's UMD/MoA Saturday:

Heather, Jacqueline, Jody, Teresa, LeeAnn, Sara, Jana

Here's a photo of our lovely Katie:

I love them all so.

Check back for a photo of tomorrow's reunion.