Gina was in town for a conference this weekend and stopped by to visit Friday afternoon. I’ve known her since high school and we’ve managed to keep in touch via a 6-way email with a few of our other high school friends. This email group has the uninspired name of “The 6-Way Email Girls”.

Gina Visits

Email changed our lives. Because of it, we not only kept in touch, but we’ve gone on vacations together and kept up strong bonds of friendship.

All the woman in the group have an interesting background, and Gina is no different. She is a sarcoma (type of cancer) doctor. As of this month she is starting in a new private practice in Atlanta.

When she arrived her first words were, “Dude, I tell everyone about your story. If friends of mine want to have a third kid, I always say, be careful, listen to what happened to my friend Nikki.”

Wow, I’ve become a cautionary tale.

She came bearing many gifts for the kids. Expensive Lego sets for the older boys and cute onsies from the Disney store for the younger kids. Jack did an excellent job at putting together the Duplo set all on his own. It was a proud moment for me. Not sure why, he figured it out all on his own?!

It was so nice to see her. When it was time for her to go, she told me, “It’s exactly as I pictured it at your house, not better or worse. I just imagined my nephew’s Johnny and Joey at every age, all at once.”

I walked her to a cab and listened to her day. Travel to another city, a swim to train for her triathlon, then drinks and dinner with friends at a trendy restaurant. Sounded a lot like my life before kids. I felt a twinge of jealousy that all she had to do that day was look after herself.

But as I turned back to the insanity of my house, I reminded myself that this time is fleeting and it will be over before I know it. I have plenty of time in life for swimming, drinks and dinner, but only one time in life to raise kids.