I have the best girlfriends (and sisters- Allie and Kelsey). Seriously, I do. I would like to say I have the best friends in general, because I believe that's the truth. But my girlfriends are honestly the best. I've developed close girlfriends in each of the cities I've lived in, and I feel very fortunate for that. I know that a lot of women aren't so lucky. Girlfriends are essential in every woman's life. I know I talk to my friends about EVERYTHING. Yes, that's right men, they know EVERYTHING. And I know everything about them. If you've hooked up with one of my girlfriends, I know about it. I know more details than you would probably want me to know (exactly what happened, when, where, how many times, good, bad...I know it all...and so do the rest of my girlfriends). Most men have nicknames, too...Some of the guys I've dated include Creepy Steve, Firefighter Mike, Chatty Patrick....the list goes on. Now, this rule is slightly altered if we really care about a guy, or see potential with him. Then, the girls will know the basics, but not the details. Ever want to make a guy uncomfortable? Get a bunch of girls together in a car, and talk about what you'd normally talk about. Guys get so uncomfortable and act all shy. It's hilarious. Anyway, girlfriends laugh together, cry together, call each other out when they need to, give advice...they're the best.
The last year of my life, I've relied on my girlfriends more than ever before. Honestly, I've relied on ALL of my friends more than I had in the past. People say that when things go wrong, you know who your friends are. Well, I'm lucky...I've got a lot of them. Many friends who helped me pick up the pieces, and get to where I am today.
In Minnesota, I've had the same girlfriends for over a decade. They knew me when I was a goody-goody little kid, a responsible teenager (the "mom" of the group), and now as an adult. We've grown up together, and had a lot of 'firsts' along the way. Like I said, my girlfriends know EVERYTHING! Right now, we're all kind of at different places in our lives, in terms of home life (boyfriends, husbands, kids, single life), and that can make it complicated to stay close...but we still make time to stay in each other's lives and when we're together, watch out! Even if we're just hanging out at someone's house, it can get wild, crazy, and wonderful with Lindsay, Rena, Blair,Laura, Mooty, Pretty Eyes, and Beth! I've recently added Kim to my list in MN, and I'm so glad to have her here.
In Kansas and Las Vegas, I found some amazing girlfriends, as well. I met them when I was older, so even though we don't have as much history, have so many things in common. Janine, Kellie, and Ali might as well be my sisters. I think of them that way. Janine and Kellie have had a lot of life experience, and I rely on them for everything. If I want advice about men, they're usually the first ones I turn to, because they KNOW men! Janine and I had our kids a week apart, so we're learning about the kid stuff together. Kellie and I are both full-time single moms, so we're in constant contact. I love these women, and I'm so lucky to have them.Ali and I were instant friends, when we met several years ago. Since then, she's joined "sister status," and we've even been mistaken for sisters...I think it's the curly hair. There are many others, like Ann, Cori, Gretchen, Colette, Terri, Jennifer, Kelli, Shelly, Melissa, Lisa, etc. and I'm lucky to have every one of them.
Ok, enough with the name dropping. I've learned a lot from my girlfriends, and I hope they've learned a lot from me. They are my biggest supporters, and they have taught me a LOT about life and what I had been missing out on for a long time. They make me laugh until I cry. They reassure me that nothing but positive things lie ahead for me! They're right. I'm in a great place, and I know I've said that before. It's probably getting old. Everything is coming along for me, just as it should be. The only thing missing is a partner in crime! I'm not used to waiting for things. As my parents have always said, from the time I was born (labor was 40 minutes from start to finish), once I want something, I go out and get it...usually quickly. I think right now, I'm having a life lesson in patience. If I want something great, I can't rush it. I have to give it time. So that's exactly what I'm doing! Waiting it out and seeing what happens, and what comes my way. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying hearing my girlfriends' dating stories. I don't have anything juicy to share at the moment, but when I do...they'll all hear about it ;)
Quick teaching story: When I was student teaching with my friend Sara, we decided to play a prank on our third graders. In fact, we played several pranks on them, but this was one of my favorites.The kids were about to begin a writing prompt about a time they felt scared. I picked the kids up from P.E. while Sara stayed in the classroom, and hid behind a bookshelf. I took the kids into the class, got them all seated, and began reading from the story we were using to spark their imaginations. The students were totally engaged and focused on the story, until Sara popped out from behind the bookshelf and made a plethora of spooky noises. The kids screamed in unison, some of them jumped up...it was awesome. For another writing prompt, we scared them again. I don't know why, but we seemed to get enjoyment out of it. Anyway, I was teaching the lesson, and asked the students to close their eyes. I talked them through a spooky story in a very quiet voice. The kids were completely silent, with eyes closed, and I screamed (as part of the story), at the top of my lungs. The kids screamed, too, because they weren't expecting it at all. Again, hilarious. Those are probably some of my favorite writing stories, and I don't think I'll ever forget them!
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