This One's for the Girls

I've always been the kind of person that preferred a few, close best friends to a crown of good enough friends. Perhaps to my detriment, because I've passed up opportunities to draw closer to new friends, thinking that my existing friends were more than enough for me. Now add to that severe introversion and the inability to leave the house after 7pm with a sleeping little one and my social life...well, it just ain't happening. Or, at least not outwardly.

You see I've been putting up walls since I moved to my husband's hometown. My husband brought me into a great circle of friends, but none were people I deemed "best friend material," and so I just didn't put forth the effort. Choosing instead, to maintain my homebody status and get my friend fix via blog comments, group texts with my college besties, and phone calls with my sister. You can see how this might be problematic, right?

Meanwhile, a group of unassuming women were slowly weaseling their way into my heart. What started out as a "I love you because you're now family and I have to" relationship with my sister-in-law, has become a lifeline. I've dropped the "-in-law" and am just head over heels in love with my newly acquired sister. She is my bump buddy, my Charlie's Aunt Mommy and the person who understands what it's like to be married to these men of ours, better than anyone. 

My core group is made up of the most loving, passionate, caring ladies you'd ever wish to meet. These are the women I ran to when my Daddy was admitted to the hospital, when my Grandma passed away and when I just couldn't handle the panic that accompanied those two pink lines. They have prayed for me, encouraged me, and bestowed upon me more gifts than I can probably recall. A clean house postpartum, Sloppy Joe squares, an Ohio necklace when we left for Pittsburgh. They have given me so much love, grace, and support, and I don't know that they even know how much I value their presence in my life. 

It's a difficult thing: to maintain friendships as you get older. Work, family, moves...there are so many obstacles that can separate two people, which is perhaps why the friendships you establish in your post-college years are the ones that are so critical. They're the ones that, despite all of those life hurdles, will put Daddy on baby duty so they can come over to help you drink your sorrows. They're the ones who will excuse themselves from a business meeting to reply to an urgent text and make sure you're okay. They're the ones who will pick out a "just because" gift for your kid, because they love them like their own. 

I don't know what exactly I'm trying to say here except, this one's for the girls.

You know who you are.