Kindred Spirits

Dear Readers,

I informed you, in my last post, that I was going to update on other happenings at the Miller Homestead. So here I am!   ...Reaching old friends.

About a month ago I was looking for random people on facebook. I was thinking back to all of the friends I have had over the years, seeing if they had accounts...

Before my parents started homeschooling, they got in touch with a local group. That group was the West Lincoln Home Educators. I don't know what we would have done without them! My parents knew less about homeschooling than I did about the square root of pi.

One particular family befriended my parents. The P Family had three kids. "Two of them" were homeschooled. (Though we all know the youngest was learning plenty.) ;) The four parents went on to be fantastic friends! They all helped each other, so much in many different aspects. Not to mention, we all lived in Vale, NC.

Sooo, what about us kids? Did we become fantastic friends? That would be an affirmative! We all grew up together and became close friends....when we were little...

Right after I turned 10 we moved, away...3 hours up the mountain, to be precise. I was excited to be going to the mountains, but sad to leave all of my friends. We had stayed in the West Lincoln group all those years. I had known most of these kids from the time I was about 4-5 'till I was 10! My life revolved around that group. But, as you all know, I am a definite extrovert and didn't have a hard time making friends at our new home. I was happy once again!

But what happened to all of those friends? What happened to the P Family? To me they were like a distant memory. At 10, I was just old enough to start making close, lasting relationships; but not old enough to understand their value, or to keep in touch. I have lost contact with almost every single one of my childhood friends.

Every year, my parents went to our state homeschool conference. And most of the time, all of the Ps were there too. So, our parents stayed in close contact with one another. The Conference was always a "mommy/daddy weekend". So, I stayed behind. Indeed it wasn't till three conferences ago, that I actually went for the first time. By the time I started going, the P Family was no longer going. Their kids were starting to get older, and they were always busy. As a matter of fact, to this day, I haven't seen them for almost seven years...

Remember how earlier, I said that I was on facebook looking for random people? Well here's where that part of the story comes in! I was staring at the search bar watching the cursor blink, trying to think of someone else. When it hit me! The Ps!! I bet I can find them, now! Well I searched for the kids, and sure enough, I found the two oldest. The oldest child is a few years older than me, and doesn't get on very much. But the middle child and I have gotten back in touch.

I feel like I never really knew AP... Growing up A was the quieter one of the three Ps, so I didn't know quite as much about the middle child as I did the other two. I have gotten to know this "middle child" all over again. It has been fantastic! :) So, after seven years of silence we have reconnected- and it has been so much fun!

And guess what? The P Family is coming to the Conference this year, and so am I... So after losing contact with some of the most special friends in my life, that made such an impact on me early on, and not having seen them for seven years- I will once again be with those dear childhood friends, to reminisce.

So, if you have any old friends that you've lost contact with, I encourage you now to try and find them! Get in touch with them! After all...you never know when you're going to find that "Kindred Spirit"......

Always in His Arms,

-Cayla