Still a little selfish

The (un)official start of summer is upon us.  This weekend marks a very happy time for us. We celebrate what we call Larkin/Burden Anniversary.  This is a celebration of a friendship that has grown over the years.  It is a time that the four of us, Sara, Jeff, Jacob, and I all get together to just be with each other.  To me it is a time to show how much we care for each other. 

I never drink "adult" beverages.  There are really a few reasons why I think.  Growing up neither of my parents drank much, if at all.  I also grew up in a place where kids under age drank, and I saw what the ramifications were.  I just choose that wasn't me.  I was a goody-goody, I will admit it.  Then right before my 21st birthday I was diagnosed with ITP.  Alcohol is a blood thinner, and is on the CAN NOT do list.  Then to top it all off, I really don't like the taste of alcohol.  So not drinking has never been a problem for me. 

Then November 2008 I made remission!  As I have discussed before remission is not a I can do whatever I want ticket, but it allows me to have a few freedoms Jacob and I never thought would be possible.  Baby Pat is one of those freedoms.  Another freedom was I could drink an adult beverage as long as my platelet counts were up. 

I never really had an opportunity/want until we decided to get together with the Burdens for Memorial Day 2009.  Sara and I are teachers so Memorial Day is a reminder we are off for the summer.  Jeff and Jacob have always worked odd jobs that required them to work on weekends/holidays, so it is always special when we would get a weekend evening together.  The memories we have from our anniversary are one of a kind.  It is an evening that I know I look forward to each year.  I mean even my family knows that Memorial Day is anniversary, and we will spend some of our weekend with our best friends.

Well this year was a little different.  I don't really drink to get drunk, but I have always associated anniversary with my one time a year to drink like an adult.  Well Pat created a different plan for us this year.  Now as I say alcohol is not the main reason we get together, and mean it, I somehow felt that I was going to ruin anniversary because it was going to be different.  I wasn't going to be able drink like an adult, and in my head I felt like this was my one time a year, and it was not going to happen for another year.  Not to mention I was changing the dynamics. 

Changes are happening.  They are out of my control.  I don't like being forced into things, and not changes when I was happy how things were.  I know when Pat arrives my world is going to be rocked, but just carrying a baby creates a whole new world with new rules.  I am still so selfish.  I know the changes will be worth it.  But it is hard.  As we get closer to Pat arriving the things that are never going to be same are more eminent.  This is my last summer break not being responsible for anyone else.  We will have to begin celebrating holidays.  We won't be able to just eat whenever we want to, but we will have to follow more of a schedule.  Just going to the store will be completely different. 

But after my tears and fears for this weekend we had a great time.  We celebrated in the most American way.  We had burgers on the grill, a campfire, ate smores, and went to a Braves baseball game.  Anniversary was a success, and each year it will evolve with our lives.  Just like every other day as we continue forward. 

So thank you to the Burdens for a great anniversary this year!