Friends, Friends, Friends

This week, a friend of mine and three of her co-teacher friends are at Disney World. As I looked at their photos on Facebook, I was reminded of a similar trip that three of my co-teacher friends and I took many, many years ago. I remembered the fun times we had and the memories we made, just as my friend and her friends are making. And I realized just how important and precious having girlfriends and making memories are.

I began to think about my groups of girlfriends and the memories and experiences we've found ourselves in. So today, I'd like to say thanks to a couple of them.

The Three Amigos. Friends since our kids were preschoolers. We all lived in Florida at the time and went to church together. Eventually two of us, Emily and I, moved away and Jeanne stayed in Florida, but we've always stayed friends. We haven't always been in close touch with each other, but we always know that we're not far apart. We're always close in heart. And sometimes we get together for some new fun. We'll just keep quiet about what that may look like ...

Then of course, there's my 3-Day crew, all incarnations and members of our crew (including our sister husband, Brucie). I couldn't find a photo of my first 3-Day with Emily (that was before digital, people, and of course do I have any negatives - nope).

Anyhow, each 3-Day had its own experiences and friends and challenges. When you train with your friends in the sweltering heat in the summer, and then bunk in a tent, you truly appreciate your buddies.

My Double-Nickel crew and their caretaker has been especially fun with the crazy training (or lack of) that we tried to do (including several stops for breakfast. Or for a call for a ride home).

And we won't even talk about the experience on the actual 3-Day route, like people falling down, or surprise guests, or torrential rain, or purchasing alky-haul from the 7-11. Or skipping the prepared lunch for Johnny Rockets. Not that we did any of those ...

We won't discuss trying to keep someone from wandering into traffic, or walking single-file on the last day because we preferred not to speak anymore, or the mountains of bandaids and moleskin and Tylenol that were used.

Nor will we discuss the fact that we swore we would never do another. Or hold another garage sale. Or train another mile. The good news is that we're holding steady in those pledges for 2015. And hopefully into 2016.

Of course there's my race girlfriends, who will dress up in tiaras and sparkle skirts, and get up at butt-crack early in the morning to go do 3.1, or 6.2, or 13.1 miles, sometimes on the East and sometimes on the West coast. We have fun eating, and getting in corrals, and being together at the start, and then finding each other at the finish. Sure, we all finish at different times, but we're always together for our team photo!!

In about two months, I'm getting together with another group of friends. We were all in a wedding together - Pam was the bride and Laura, Elizabeth, and I were bridesmaids. This was in 1977. We grew up together and went to the same church together. After Pam got married, we all went different ways. And although we haven't lost touch, we haven't been together in about 35+ years. Sure, we've seen each other here and there (well, maybe some of us have), but it will be the first time in a long time that we're together. Think we'll have anything to chat about?

The bottom line is that I'm so blessed to have so many great women in my life.  Thanks ladies!! I love you all!!

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Today is a gift because:  sort of swimming laps at the Y; picking up Lindley and Everley from school