Something To Look Forward To...
I am getting excited about an upcoming "gathering" this coming weekend. I am calling it a "Girlfriend's Gathering." I got the idea several weeks back. I decided I wanted to gather together the friends in my life who have had the most impact. The friends who have ALWAYS supported me no matter what; they have been loyal and true and trustworthy; they encourage me and pray for me, and above all, they love me. This has been especially true over the last several months during all this "marriage stuff." So because of this, I wanted to have a party to honor them, to thank them and to let them know how special each one is to me. I want this get together not only to thank them, but I want all the different friends to meet each other. This may be the one and only time I have this exact bunch all in one place.
I have different "sets" of friends, all with different personalities, different backgrounds, but these different sets all make up the core of my Friendship Life. I've always been told I have the most eclectic group of friends. "How in the world are you two friends?" I've heard it a million times and I can't explain how I'm friends with the people I'm friends with... I JUST AM and it was meant to be and these friends are my BEST FRIENDS. :) God led me to them or them to me and in so doing, He gave me the most special gifts. The gifts of true friendship. These women are not only my friends, but they are all my sisters, each one offering something unique and fabulous to my life.
I met them all at various ages and stages over the course of my 51 years. So who is it that's coming? My long time BFF from Asheville, Katie, will be here. (I told you about her in a previous post. See the post about "At Home in the Mountains.") My "bestest" high school friends are coming... a few will be missing due to living so far away... but 3 of my "homeys" will be here. Whenever we get together, it's a non-stop party!! Two are coming from SC, Laura, rather, "Fletcher" to me, and Mel, otherwise known as "Burbs or Burbilicious", and one from Charlotte, Joyce. Joyce only recently moved to NC from California. Soooo happy she is back East!! Fletcher and Burbs were in the class ahead of me (class of '79) and Joyce, well, I've known this girl since we were 8 years old!! EIGHT YEARS OLD!! Do you know how many years we've been friends? That would be 43 years... 43 years of our lives that we have been friends. It's amazing to me and I am so thankful for this long enduring friendship. (Incidentally, this is the same girl who stole my boyfriend in 4th grade. See post entitled "First Loves" for the scoop on that!) This high school group, plus a few more peeps, gets together every summer, and our "get togethers" are always Epic. That's all I can say about that. haha :)
Then I have my "Beach Girls" set of friends. This is a group of 6 women (including me). We have been going to the beach together for the past 9 years. We started going when we were all on the PTA together at our children's school. The first several years we went only once a year, usually in late October or early November, to Sunset Beach, NC. One of the Beach Girls had a house there (she no longer owns it so we go other places "at the beach and we now go twice a year!") We all have children around the same ages and all have gone to school together at one time or the other. These girls all have nicknames... BFlea, AnitaGoo, JFraud, Cate-E-bay, Pick. These names came from one of those beach trips. :D I don't see this group of friends as much as some of the others, but I know they are "here for me"/ we are "here" for each other at any time. What a comfort this is to me!
My "W-S/Clemmons" Group, or my "Live Life Out Loud" friends (literally some of the loudest people I know! haha) -- Kelly...we met when my youngest and her oldest were in 3 yr. old preschool together. Jacob and Cole became best friends and were inseparable until sometime in middle school. They continue to be friends but not at the same intensity. :) I also taught Kelly's son, Jacob, in preschool for two years. Kelly and I became fast friends and we've shared many happy times together as well as some serious "Curveballs!" Aaren-- known simply as "Brown." Brown is her last name and that's what I've called her for years. We met as teachers at the same elementary school. At first I was totally intimidated by her b/c she is at least 6'0 and she can beat me up, but she has a heart of pure gold. I know if I need a good cry, she'll be right there with me! Then there's Louise-- I call her "Weezy or Weez". She's my Latin American friend from Puerto Rico with a personality bigger than life. We went to Vegas together for my 50th, along with another Latina friend. Oh, Lord, talk about fun times!! One of my future posts may have to be about that Viva Las Vegas trip. Just sayin'. I got to know Weez b/c I also taught her son in preschool (Rhys) and years later our boys (Kyle and Jared) played soccer together in high school and well, a friendship was formed and we totally Rock life when we are together. Clara, is my teacher's assistant. I have known Clara from "way back" though. She used to participate in our neighborhood children's clothing sale and she bought many of my oldest son's clothes for her boy, Andrew. We now work together and every day is a party with Clara. She keeps me laughing and makes the workdays bearable and fun. -- I got to know Becky last year when her daughter, Elizabeth, became my Kindergarten student. Becky became my Grade parent and was a tremendous help to me last year. Throughout the year we just became friends, plus the fact that she is from Asheville too!! We come from the same 'hood! We can talk about "home" together and know exactly what the other is referring to. We have even met up for lunch in "The Land of the Sky" and in so doing, discovered it is one of our fav Asheville eateries.... The U-Joint in West Asheville. Woot! Woot! Some strangers simply become your friends and that's how it is with Becky and me.
I also invited my daughter to attend this gathering for the simple reason I want her to see and know what true, real, and lasting friendship looks like...how it works and why it is so important to have these kinds of relationships in one's life. She knows me as MOM. She doesn't really know the side of me when I'm with these girls who are my sisters. She is now old enough to join me on some of these get togethers. My hope for her is that she, too, will have girlfriends who are more family than friends and girlfriends with whom she can go on yearly trips and adventures; girlfriends she can trust and who will be loyal and true to her and encourage and support her on this journey called Life. She is so gonna need it!! I will always be her loudest cheerleader and I will love her more than anyone else on this earth, but sometimes a girl needs her girlfriends. I want her to have Sisters of the Heart and this get together will give her a glimpse, a little taste of true Friendship Heaven.
I still have a lot to do before Saturday, but I am doing it all with a jingle in my step. It's going to be a wonderful weekend. The first friend arrives Friday evening. I think we may go on a little drive through Tanglewood Park to see the amazing Christmas lights.
Feeling blessed,
D~
I have different "sets" of friends, all with different personalities, different backgrounds, but these different sets all make up the core of my Friendship Life. I've always been told I have the most eclectic group of friends. "How in the world are you two friends?" I've heard it a million times and I can't explain how I'm friends with the people I'm friends with... I JUST AM and it was meant to be and these friends are my BEST FRIENDS. :) God led me to them or them to me and in so doing, He gave me the most special gifts. The gifts of true friendship. These women are not only my friends, but they are all my sisters, each one offering something unique and fabulous to my life.
I met them all at various ages and stages over the course of my 51 years. So who is it that's coming? My long time BFF from Asheville, Katie, will be here. (I told you about her in a previous post. See the post about "At Home in the Mountains.") My "bestest" high school friends are coming... a few will be missing due to living so far away... but 3 of my "homeys" will be here. Whenever we get together, it's a non-stop party!! Two are coming from SC, Laura, rather, "Fletcher" to me, and Mel, otherwise known as "Burbs or Burbilicious", and one from Charlotte, Joyce. Joyce only recently moved to NC from California. Soooo happy she is back East!! Fletcher and Burbs were in the class ahead of me (class of '79) and Joyce, well, I've known this girl since we were 8 years old!! EIGHT YEARS OLD!! Do you know how many years we've been friends? That would be 43 years... 43 years of our lives that we have been friends. It's amazing to me and I am so thankful for this long enduring friendship. (Incidentally, this is the same girl who stole my boyfriend in 4th grade. See post entitled "First Loves" for the scoop on that!) This high school group, plus a few more peeps, gets together every summer, and our "get togethers" are always Epic. That's all I can say about that. haha :)
Then I have my "Beach Girls" set of friends. This is a group of 6 women (including me). We have been going to the beach together for the past 9 years. We started going when we were all on the PTA together at our children's school. The first several years we went only once a year, usually in late October or early November, to Sunset Beach, NC. One of the Beach Girls had a house there (she no longer owns it so we go other places "at the beach and we now go twice a year!") We all have children around the same ages and all have gone to school together at one time or the other. These girls all have nicknames... BFlea, AnitaGoo, JFraud, Cate-E-bay, Pick. These names came from one of those beach trips. :D I don't see this group of friends as much as some of the others, but I know they are "here for me"/ we are "here" for each other at any time. What a comfort this is to me!
My "W-S/Clemmons" Group, or my "Live Life Out Loud" friends (literally some of the loudest people I know! haha) -- Kelly...we met when my youngest and her oldest were in 3 yr. old preschool together. Jacob and Cole became best friends and were inseparable until sometime in middle school. They continue to be friends but not at the same intensity. :) I also taught Kelly's son, Jacob, in preschool for two years. Kelly and I became fast friends and we've shared many happy times together as well as some serious "Curveballs!" Aaren-- known simply as "Brown." Brown is her last name and that's what I've called her for years. We met as teachers at the same elementary school. At first I was totally intimidated by her b/c she is at least 6'0 and she can beat me up, but she has a heart of pure gold. I know if I need a good cry, she'll be right there with me! Then there's Louise-- I call her "Weezy or Weez". She's my Latin American friend from Puerto Rico with a personality bigger than life. We went to Vegas together for my 50th, along with another Latina friend. Oh, Lord, talk about fun times!! One of my future posts may have to be about that Viva Las Vegas trip. Just sayin'. I got to know Weez b/c I also taught her son in preschool (Rhys) and years later our boys (Kyle and Jared) played soccer together in high school and well, a friendship was formed and we totally Rock life when we are together. Clara, is my teacher's assistant. I have known Clara from "way back" though. She used to participate in our neighborhood children's clothing sale and she bought many of my oldest son's clothes for her boy, Andrew. We now work together and every day is a party with Clara. She keeps me laughing and makes the workdays bearable and fun. -- I got to know Becky last year when her daughter, Elizabeth, became my Kindergarten student. Becky became my Grade parent and was a tremendous help to me last year. Throughout the year we just became friends, plus the fact that she is from Asheville too!! We come from the same 'hood! We can talk about "home" together and know exactly what the other is referring to. We have even met up for lunch in "The Land of the Sky" and in so doing, discovered it is one of our fav Asheville eateries.... The U-Joint in West Asheville. Woot! Woot! Some strangers simply become your friends and that's how it is with Becky and me.
I also invited my daughter to attend this gathering for the simple reason I want her to see and know what true, real, and lasting friendship looks like...how it works and why it is so important to have these kinds of relationships in one's life. She knows me as MOM. She doesn't really know the side of me when I'm with these girls who are my sisters. She is now old enough to join me on some of these get togethers. My hope for her is that she, too, will have girlfriends who are more family than friends and girlfriends with whom she can go on yearly trips and adventures; girlfriends she can trust and who will be loyal and true to her and encourage and support her on this journey called Life. She is so gonna need it!! I will always be her loudest cheerleader and I will love her more than anyone else on this earth, but sometimes a girl needs her girlfriends. I want her to have Sisters of the Heart and this get together will give her a glimpse, a little taste of true Friendship Heaven.
I still have a lot to do before Saturday, but I am doing it all with a jingle in my step. It's going to be a wonderful weekend. The first friend arrives Friday evening. I think we may go on a little drive through Tanglewood Park to see the amazing Christmas lights.
Feeling blessed,
D~
I'm *just now* getting around to reading your delightful blog. Yep. And this is only because I'm 3 hours away from leaving town and still have tons to do. Glad we are friends JUST BECAUSE. Love you.
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