Girl's Weekend

Every year, several of my friends from high school and I get together for a girl's weekend. We've done Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, Charleston, and Atlanta. This year was Charlotte again.

Bethany, Emily, Carissa and I became friends in high school. Emily and I go back to junior high but became great friends when we were in the same homeroom and had lockers next to each other. Carissa and Bethany were a year ahead of us in school. Bethany and I were in band together. Carissa had a locker across the hall from Emily and I. We all became Christians through Young Life around the same time and formed life long friendships. Janny was our YL leader.

Bethany, Emily, Carissa & Laura

Bethany lives in Glen Dale, WV and has an 18 month old daughter, Ellie, with another one on the way.

Emily lives in Atlanta and has a son, Will, who is 21 months.

Carissa lives in Charlotte with her two kiddos, Emalynn (18 months) and Cayden (4 1/2).

Janny (who couldn't be with us this weekend) lives in New Martinsville and has two grown daughters.

So this weekend, we met in Charlotte. Carissa's sister let us stay at her house. We stayed up late into the night talking. Slept in as much as Mom's of infants/toddlers/preschoolers can sleep in. Had breakfast at 11. Shopped and browsed without anyone breaking anything or throwing a tantrum. Went out to dinner at 7pm (not 5pm when no one's there) and enjoyed our time in no hurry at all. There were even a couple of surprises during the weekend.

I truly cherish this time with my friends. There are no other friends in my life that know me quite like they do. We met in 1995 - 13 years ago. We've seen each other through boyfriends, breakups, parents getting divorced, college (good choices and bad), meeting our husbands and the weddings that followed, children (sick and healthy), struggles in our marriages, spiritual struggles, multiple moves and job changes, and the list goes on. (Kind of sounds like wedding vows!!) But seriously, we have seen each other through all of the BIG major, life changing things in our lives as well as the mundance, same old, day in and day out events. I LOVE these girls.

This meant Ben was home for the weekend with the kids by himself. He is the best at taking the kids, having a great time with them, and even cleaning a little before I come home. It really doesn't bother him too much. This was his first extended time with Sophie. The only thing that could've backfired was that it was time change weekend. She typically gets up between 6:30-7:00am. With the time change, that meant 5:30-6:00am. She did wake up at 5:30 but put herself back to sleep. Church is a little crazy and strategic, but all was well. I told him that he should've blogged, but I think that was pushing it a bit!