Like mother, like daughter - courtesy of Rachel

My best friend Rachel has been in my life since before I was born. My mom started watching her when she was pregnant with me and she continued watching her right up until elementary school. Rachel and I spent hours and hours playing and one of our favorite things to play was "restaurant". We had two aprons - one yellow and one green - that were just our size. They had a spot for a pen and a note pad on the chest and across the skirt of the apron were dozens of slots that were just perfect for crayons.

A few years ago Rachel had a replica of the apron made for me as a gift. Okay, the gift may have actually been for Hannah but it was also a gift for me since it was a nod to our childhood. Over the years Hannah has played with it when she is playing dress-up around the house but the other day Hannah was packing to go to a sleepover at her best friend's house and she asked me if she could take the apron with her. My first thought was that I didn't want it to leave this house because I was worried it would get lost or ruined but then it occurred to me, Hannah is having the same fun with that apron and her best friend as I did when I was a little girl.

I think that is so cool, and the fact that Rachel gave me such an opportunity to share something with my daughter that meant so much to me as a child, is why she is still my best friend 32 years later (and counting).