ya ya's

So here is the thing about Ya Ya's -- girlfriends who know you inside and out, who have known you for years -- over the course of two days together you get to be thirteen again.....and twenty-two again...and thirty again. And the journey is just as wonderful, full of as much laughter and as much love, as the first time around together.



There is nothing quite like girlfriends in this world...and I think mine are some of the best ones out there. The seven of us do not get the chance to all get together as much as we would like due to busy lives and the distance between us. But for two amazing days we get to just drink up being in each others presence with no distractions.



A few people asked if Sophie came with me to the cottage for the girl's weekend and the answer is she did not. My weekend with my friends is about being able to focus just on one another for a couple of days. So no husbands, no kids, no dogs....nothing that requires us to pay attention to anyone or anything except each other and ourselves....which as working women, mothers, wives, and dog owners we don't get the chance to do very often. And we miss our husbands and our kids and our dogs....but we return after those two days feeling like we can breathe a little easier again and feeling connected to one another again.



Each one of the Ya Ya's brings something unique and wonderful to my life. Kristin is the kindest, most sincere person I have ever met....and she really listens when I talk to her. Holly is full of soul and thoughtful words of wisdom...words that I am often left thinking about for days. Being with Lynn is like throwing open the porch door and letting the glittery sunshine spill into the house....she is warm and genuine and always brightens my heart.



Nancy has the best advice and she will always stand by you, no matter what....her strength is absolutely breathtaking. Sheri is the friend I have known the longest and she can make me laugh like no one else...those rumbling-up-from-the-belly laughs that you can only have with someone with whom you have a shared a lifetime with and who knows every story, every nuance, every moment.



And Danielle....a joyful heart and my best friend. Her incredible sense of self always leaves a mark of inspiration when I spend time with her. On any given day we are a thousand miles apart....but on any given day there is no space between us. She has been....and will always be...my touchstone in this world.



And those are the Ya Ya's. Our weekend has come and gone...but once again there were moments, conversations, and threads woven that will stay with me forever. I did miss my best girl though...my Sophie. (I will be posting about her later this week.)