We just got back from a trip where we saw some old friends from back home that spent the first few school years of their life with my oldest two daughters. It was a fabulous trip!
We stayed up late playing dominos, eating cookies and chit chatting about where and how our kids are nowadays.
Eighteen years have passed and looking back at what type of mothers we were, in comparison to how we are now led to some deep conversations.
For example, My friend was homeschooling her kids when I first met her and I was not. Then the started working and get kids went off to school about the same rime I decided to start homeschooling.
My friend’s kids ended up graduating from public schools and all went off to Liberty University. None of them are in the career that they went to university for, yet all of them are thriving and happy doing different things with their lives.
Besides my three teens,
I have an adult daughter living at home, working, thriving, serving the Lord and genuinely happy.
I have another adult child off in University.
Flashback:
My friend’s kids use to beg her to spend the night over my house because they loved the fact that I was very much like them.
Meaning, I played Barbie dolls with them,enjoyed crafts, baked, and just goofed off with them.
I was a young mom and I think that always helps. (not a teen mom though)
From my observations, older moms tend to be more serious and don’t want to play with their kids. (No judgment)
I also had lots of snack foods in the house all the time.
Later I found that this led to my friends kids going back to her and asking for frozen crustless PB&J’s and lunchables. Just to and a couple.
While we were visiting our old friends, my friend took my three youngest out for lunch and games. She and her hubby are youth leaders at their church and relate well to teens..
My friend told my kids how her kids always wanted to go to my house for ”the fun” and how they would always ask her for things that I bought my kids. Her kids even picked up on certain phrases I would use to describe things and would go back home and use the words.
I had no idea until now.
It was so much fun hanging out again.
She has three girls, all early 20’s now, while I have three teens and two adult daughters.
It was my two adult children whom her kids use to hang out with all the time. Hence the sleepovers. 🙆♀️
Pay Back-
It was funny to arrive back home and drive through a taco bell and have my kids ask for burritos.
I always keep it simple and order a twelve-pack of tacos for them to all share. That is just the norm.
But things have now changed. Lol
They wanted burritos.
What?? Burritos?!
Then one of my kids chimes, ”Mom, your friend took us to Taco Bell and we had burritos. FUN BURRITOS! WE WANT BURRITOS!”
Not only burritos but now my kids like those small bags of chips that parents buy for their kids school lunches.
They had no idea those small bags existed. They do now!
And they are seen as FUN.
Thanks Mel. Thanks so very much. 🤣
Another Update 
Something else my kids have to have on their toast now. 🙃
From North to South 