In elementary school I had a a group of girlfriends I played with during school, after school and on the weekends. Thanks to our mothers who are still in contact and Facebook I still in contact with a few of them.
My last two years of high school I was inseparable from a group of girls who showed me what innocent teenage fun was all about ... pj parties with hours of giggling, movie and shopping days, double dating to dances. One of these girls is still my best friend and no matter how long it is between phone calls its like no time has passed.
My 9 college girlfriends are still my closest friends. We are now spread out around the globe. Most are married with kids. But, when an event comes up ... wedding, baby shower, crisis ... we make sure we are there for each other. When I separated from my husband the girls got together to fly me out to Arizona for a girls weekend of R&R to help me destress.
I had a hard time making friends when I moved back down to San Diego. My friends were my X's friends who I didn't really have much in common with. I felt isolated and lonely. The one place I never thought I would find another group of girlfriends would be online. But, I did and I absolutely adore them. The one thing I share with these girls that I don't share with all of my other girl friends is a passion for blogging, tweeting, flickring and IM'ing. They open up through writing about the good and bad things in their life.
Recently plans were made for a blogger meet up in Las Vegas to celebrate birthdays and just get everyone together again since BlogHer '09 in Chicago. I really wanted to go, but my finances just won't let me since it wasn't planned months in advance allowing me to save enough to go. So, with a very heavy heart I RSVP'ed no to the event. I wouldn't be able to take hundreds of photos of my friends. I wouldn't be able tweet twitpics with the hastags #vegas #birthdaybash. I wouldn't have the memories or have the opportunity to meet some other blogger in person.
Like my college girlfriends, my online girlfriends (spearheaded by my second half, Miss) pulled together to make it possible for me to change my RSVP to yes! When Miss emailed me asking if I would be able to go with their help I didn't have to think about it ... the answer was YES ... followed by overwhelming tears. I never expected them to do this for me, but I know if one of them was in my place I would have found a way to help too.
I am so thankful for all of my girlfriends past and present. Miss, VDog, Kel, Lex, Megan and Nancy ... my cup runneth over.
