Scanning a photo is an easy task. Scanning over 1,000 photos is a daunting task and one I took it on several weeks ago. It's not like I can work on it all day every day. Today I hit the 800 mark and realize that at some point I need to categorize these pictures. So far they all fit nicely in to the NOSTALGIA category. I've had some good laughs, and yes, I've shed some tears along the way. Working on this time-consuming project has given me even more appreciation for the Bethel Valley Girls and the 31 years of our friendship. One picture in particular reminded me of why I think of them as more like family than just friends. It was October 1983, and the occasion was my son's fourth birthday party. This was the only time we went to McDonald's for one of my children's birthday parties, and it was because my new baby was just two weeks old and doing it there was the easy route. Their staff took care of everything, including the birthday cake. The picture I have from that day is of my son preparing to blow out the four candles on his cake, and his friends were gathered around to wish him well. And there they were, Elletu's son and daughter (her older daughter was in school), j's daughter (her older daughter was in school) and Cool's two sons. My daughter was also in school. Not in the picture were the moms, Elletu, j, Cool and Firstelle---the Bethel Valley Girls, who had first met as a group two years before. That was at another birthday party, for Cool's older son. I found another picture from my daughter's fourth birthday party, held at our infamous Piggy Park, and right next to her in the photo is Cool's son whose birthday party had started it all. I'm still looking for photos from my daughter's fifth birthday party. She shared it with j's daughter because they have the same birthday. Coincidentally, j's husband shares a birthday with my son. And I'm glad I've shared so much of my life with my friends/family, the Bethel Valley Girls. Thus, when I set up those categories for my scanned photos, the first one is going to be 'Bethel Valley Girls.' Thirty-one years and counting!