"I need to remember this."

Tonight, one of my good friends from high school who I haven't seen in a few years - Morgan - threw a Christmas party and invited me. I've really missed Morgan, but was a little apprehensive about going, because I don't really talk to any of the other kids anymore who were attending the party although I used to be friends with some of them too.

And although we've been out of high school for four and a half years, I still don't like to be the girl standing at the front of the cafeteria, looking around desperately for someone to cling to. I didn't have a problem with it in college, but for some reason those same old high school insecurities creep up on you when you least expect them, I guess. So I dragged Regina along with me, just in case there wasn't an open "cafeteria table" so to speak. And because Regina is a hell of a lot of fun at parties!

But I ended up having the BEST time. It was the most random group of people I've ever hung out with - an assortment of people I didn't even expect - but it was still a ridiculous amount of fun. From seeing Gina Cap again, to hanging out with my favorite Matt Adams, to seeing Lauren's brother Jimmy, to Brenda Fetchen (who I was in 1st grade with!)... to my neighbor and his brother, to Scott, who sat behind me in Chemistry in 10th grade... it was just a ridiculously random group of individuals. Still, I laughed until I cried and then I laughed some more. So the night was definitely a success.

Morgan's mom even came home a tad drunk and we had a blast with her as well. I've always loved Morgan's mom and I've thought about her and Morgan a lot these past couple years, since Morgan's dad died suddenly. Morgan's parents were both always really good to me and my favorite Halloween memories are from my trip to Seven Springs with them when Morgan and I were just in 10th grade. Morgan even said she could remember listening to Don Henley's "The End of Innocence" in the car on our way to the haunted house/hayride/cornfield. It's amazing how much time has passed since that car ride, how much has changed. It's amazing to think of how we'll all continue to grow and change.

"Who knows how long this will last,
Now we've come so far, so fast.
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us;
I need to remember this."
-Don Henley