Remember when you were a kid, how fun sleepovers were?!? For our 10th adventure, Rob and I split up for the night! We traveled back to Arkansas and traveled back in time! Just like I did a million times growing up, my girlfriends and I slept over at my second parent’s house, who was too kind to open their home once more to three 50ish-year-olds to pretend we were teens again!
Backstory
When I was young, I had the honor of having really good friends. In preschool, I vividly remember being on the red clay playground and watching these girls walk with their “pies” made out of the dirt in a frisbee. I remember asking this one girl if I could play, and she told me to ask the other girl. That is the moment I met Jamie Messley (now married name :)).
Jamie attended a private school for elementary school for a bit, and then the unthinkable happened. In 5th grade, my life changed forever!!! It was in fifth grade that Jamie and I were put in Ms. Martin’s class. Even better, two other girls I had not known before were also put in that class! Terrah and Nicole! It wasn’t long until we were all tied at the hip. We were all together in the same sixth-grade class, and it set a firm foundation of love and friendship as we went through junior high, high school, and college.
We lost Nicole in a car wreck when we were in college. I remember being in Houston on spring break and my mom calling in hysterics. Jamie was studying abroad in Italy at the time. Terrah was in college, too, at UCA. I remember driving home for the funeral and sitting in the back just in shock. I remember losing it when Nicole’s baby started crying.
I remember our last conversation. Nicole had called me one night asking if I was enjoying married life. lol. I remember asking her about being a mom. I remember I was on a new marriage high, even getting off the phone way before I should, because Rob was being romantic. I replay that conversation often and wish so much I had talked longer. I have this picture of all of us at my shower. That would have been the last time I saw her as she was due around my wedding.
NIcole was amazing, funny and so full of life at times! I can remember so many nights at the Messley’s house, calling the radio station, making requests, laughing at Nicole tripping, Halloween parties, driving, swimming, surprise parties, her first soda every morning, weird pets, going on the lake, and her dad having a heart attack with only us three girls. Nicole was the first to get her license. She had a hardship license, and I remember being so jealous. She was on the drill team, homecoming court, and super brilliant. She has the best laugh.
After college, Terrah, Jamie, and I always had a group chat, but we were all three in different states. We tried to get together whenever we came back home, but I think it had been a decade since the three of us had been together. This year, with us all turning 50, meant that I wanted to see my friends. Jamie was planning to make it to Arkansas in April, so what better way to celebrate than an old-fashioned sleepover at Jamie’s parents’ house?
Detour
I think this might be a good time to explain how grateful I am for Chuck and JoAnne Messley. For so many years, they opened their house to me and all of us. So many Sunday dinners with the grandparents who taught me how to experience formal dinners. They were the ones who took me on vacation to Disney World when I was in junior high. The first time I ever left the state was because of their generosity. Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores-they provided so much for me. They made us clean the pool when they caught us sneaking out. They allowed us to sneak out. The sleepover felt like going back home, and without their influence, I do not think I would have even known what life was like outside my little world.
I am going to throw in some old pictures of us before telling you how much fun we had and the adventure recap. I misplaced some of the pictures of Nicole and us on the trip. At least after staying up looking at old pics during the sleepover, I can’t seem to find them since being back home…ugh.
Adventure
Rob dropped me off in Malvern as we all felt we should pay a visit to Nicole. Don’t worry, he had his own adventure playing Mario Kart with his brother and more disc golf…
This was the first time we were all able to go to Nicole’s grave. We felt it was only fitting to lay down with Nicole.
We spent probably too long looking around the graveyard and learning about Nicole’s family. We tried to do stalking to see where her son is, but were not successful. Afterwards, we drove around this little town, learning so much about the history.
We learned so much more about Nicole as her family was one of the founders of this little town: Tulip, Arkansas. I am going to drop in some of the pics we took in this town. It was fascinating.
We spent the rest of the night reliving our memories by driving around our old schools and seeing how much growth and change had happened after we left the small town. This small town that we ran down the road for miles in the middle of the night at previous sleepovers, where we had so much more freedom, is unrecognizable. New junior highs, new high school buildings, land and area taken over, and nothing looks the same. AN airport! Bryant has an airport! As we drove around trying to figure out where we were, it was a welcome surprise to know that as much growth, you will always run into family.
My beautiful niece was outside my sister-in-love’s new house on the phone!
For the second time in two months, I was able to see my great nephew and hug necks.
The rest of the night was spent looking at pics, sharing gifts, and staying up way too late for a 50-year-old. I think the pics show as much as possible all the change, but this is probably one of my two favorites. Wish we could of photoshopped Nicole in. She will always be beautiful in her twenties.
Their dog Max was precious and knew exactly how to pose! We did take a pic of the three of us, but apparently, I have misplaced it too. Maybe Terrah or Jamie will add it!
Enjoy the last two pics of the new junior high that was built by that airport… enjoy how much Bryant has changed. 50 years go fast.
