What would you say if I told you that my husband and I, along with our kids, were driving from Southern New England to Virginia Beach to spend a week in a house with 4 other couples and their children (totaling 10 adults and 9 children all under the age of five)? This is exactly what we had planned, and the response I got from acquaintances and co-workers prior to the trip was not so much “that sounds wonderful”…more like, “are you crazy?” This statement was often followed by, “hopefully you’re all still friends afterwards”.
No, we’re not crazy. Not being friends afterwards? Not possible.
First off, it helps when you rent a beach house the size of a mansion. 9 bedrooms, each with it’s own bathroom, indoor and outdoor pools, private beach for a backyard (we actually saw whales and dolphins swimming by), a media room perfect for morning workouts and toddler chill time, a kitchen you could get lost in, and more and more amenities (wet bars, ice machines, a pool table, Foosball, air hockey, etc).
We were never on top of each other, and we prepared for this trip to the finite detail. We held a planning session beforehand, picked out bedrooms, discussed meal preparations (each family taking a night to cook a buffet style dinner), divvied up non perishable lists of items to bring, and shared food expenses.
More so than the house and the planning, we have 12 years of friendship binding us, and the knowledge that we truly enjoy each other’s company. In our single (but dating) days, we would spend weekends on the Cape together. We were 10 adults, sharing a common interest (beer and laughter), falling in love with our respective others, and making the most of our mid to late twenties.
We all met at the same work-place, and the bar down the street from our office became our haven. On a weekly (OK, sometimes daily) basis we would meet there, calling out to each member of our little group Cheers Style upon their arrival from the daily grind. There are too many good times to count, and thankfully only a handful of bad times to put away. Always in sync with each other, we got married around the same time, had our babies around the same time, and grew up around the same time. OK, the growing up part may be questionable at best, but we try.
Friendship was always difficult for me when I was young. I was a bit of a loner, keeping a few special people close to me to share my confidences. I never imagined I would find myself in the company of such amazing (and numerous) people. As for my girlfriends, I know no matter what they are there for me. They’ve seen me at my worst, and they love me anyway. As for my guy friends, they are there for my husband. Hidden within the catch phrase “How ya doin, Sucka?” are the bonds of true friendship they need not acknowledge. And I know that if I need them they would be there for me too.
So, how did it go? Awesome. I had missed my friends, especially the ones who no longer live close by. What was even more amazing was to sit back and watch our children come together. How kindly they played; rarely arguing over toys, banding together in cooperative play in the sand. To see the children of those who are so important to me bonding in harmony is thrilling. I see years and years (even if not as grand in scale) of gatherings such as these in our bright future…the adults and the children sharing their precious time for the simple reason that we love being together.
A moment, if I may, to express how very fortunate we are.
The house:
The Younglings:
A moment in the sand for myself:
