Little Ellie

Little Ellie was born on April 5th, 2016 to my best friend Rochelle and her husband Justin. I got to visit her on April 11th. 

Resting peacefully in her father's arms. He told me that she sometimes has a faint smile on her face and loves to kick off her left sock. 

I met Rochelle for the first time when I was six years old. Our parents were neighbors and remember her waving at me through the fence asking me if I wanted to be friends. We were friends for years until my family moved when I was nine. We didn't move more that fifteen minutes away, but for two kids before the age of cell phones and video chats I might as well have moved across the country. We lost touch but miraculously ended up in the same private school half way through the year during fifth grade. We immediately recognized each other and picked up right where we left off. She taught me that value of getting and giving hugs after a bad day and often gave back rubs to the other students on the playground. No surprise she ended up in the physical therapy field.

We ended up in different high schools but went to the same college, where she met her husband. I've had a lot of friendships that have drifted apart over the years but I've always felt close to Rochelle. Seeing her hold her baby girl and realizing how long I've know her brought tears to my eyes. Rochelle and Justin are going to be fantastic parents.