Old Navy- The Next Generation

Back in 1997, it was the second semester of UF, and my money was getting a little more than tight. I decided to get a job as I knew it wouldn't be long until I'd be living off of Ramen noodles and PB&J's. I applied and got hired at Old Navy on Archer Road. It was here that I met (over the course of the next four years) some great people. You can only imagine the turn over rate at a place like Old Navy in a college town. Due to that people were always coming and going. However, we developed a little group that pretty much stayed together for the duration of our time in Gainesville. We would have THE BEST parties; we would definitely ALWAYS make work fun; and even had a few road trips (one in particular to Key West stands out). Around 1999 or 2000, some of us started to graduate, move back home or to start a job, and soon after that came the weddings and children. Some of us here and there have gotten together through the years, but once the kids started joining our lives, it became increasingly more difficult to schedule a get together. So it had been a good probably six years since anyone has gotten together.

I think the whole Facebook thing got us all back in contact again about six months ago. Jen M. threw out a couple of dates for a reunion and we all picked one and marked our calendars and vowed to make it work!! We all met up at Jen's house in Palm Harbor to have a cook-out and swim and catch up. The furthest family came from the Panhandle, one family from Jacksonville, a few from Orlando, and others here locally. There were a few other Old Navy Vets that couldn't make it (some as far as North Carolina now).

Nic was on duty so it was just the girls and I. When we walked around back to the pool, I couldn't believe how much everyone looked the same like a day hadn't passed in the last ten years! We all picked right up where we left off! What a great feeling to be back with such comforting and fun friends! Everyone has kids of their own now and we had a total of 13 there that day! The kids swam non-stop from about 11:00 a.m. until about 4:00 in the afternoon! They all played so well together and looked like little mini versions of us! The stories and memories we shared were so much fun! Definitely took me back to the good ol' college days.

I hope we are able to keep this little reunion going. Good times and good friends from a great place! It's great to be a Florida Gator! Maybe our next reunion can be at The Swamp!!