The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #84: My Best Friend’s Baby

Rachel and Emily are good friends. They used to hang out all the time in couples. Rachel and her partner Thu, and Emily and her husband Todd.

From left: Thu, Emily, Rachel, Todd

From left: Thu, Emily, Rachel, Todd

They’d talk about all kinds of things … but never really about whether either couple wanted to have a baby someday. And then it happened. Emily was the first of their friends to get pregnant. She had a son named Malcolm.

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Both Rachel and Emily were worried about what Malcolm would mean for their friendship. And if you’ve ever been on either side of this—the friend who has a kid, or the friend who doesn’t—you get why they were scared. Babies often mean the demise of a friendship.

Rachel’s not really a baby person. She’s way more into dogs. But she and her partner Thu hatched a plan to keep their friendship with Emily and Todd going strong. (Hint below.)

Rachel-dog-party-squareRachel-CD-square

Rachel and Thu are not just life partners; they’re bandmates, too. They have a duo called The Singer and The Songwriter. Aren’t they the best?

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More and more of Rachel and Thu’s friends are becoming parents, and while they’re pretty sure they never want kids, each new baby has made them wonder what’s next for them. Without kids, there are lots of paths they could take.

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They recently decided to do something really bold; they’ve quit their jobs and struck out on the road, touring as full-time musicians indefinitely.

But even from thousands of miles away, they’ve managed to stay close with Emily’s family. Tune in to hear how. (Another hint below.)

Rachel saying goodbye to Malcolm

Rachel saying goodbye to Malcolm

Malcolm's otter "Little Lady"

Malcolm’s otter “Little Lady”

Songs from this episode
If you liked the music in this episode, you can find the albums at Rachel and Thu’s website. Here are the tracks we played in the show:

How have YOU stayed friends with your pals who had kids (or didn’t)?
It’s not easy! Share your tricks, down below.

The Singer and The Songwriter photos by Devin Schiro.

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