My Girls

Shortly after we moved to Colorado in the summer of '04, my friend Liz invited a group of casual friends and acquaintances to her house to start a book club. I was still in the stage of mourning my Ohio friends, so I was pretty excited to get out of the house and meet some new people. The night was one of those magical evenings where you can just tell something special is happening - the entire group just clicked. During the three years that we lived in Colorado, those 9 girls became such a treasured part of my life. We supported each other through 12 pregnancies, family drama, job changes and and loss of loved ones. We ate increasingly lavish feasts, drank too much wine, and read a lot of books we barely talked about. Nearly all of my memories of Caroline's pregnancy and infanthood are tied up with them - the love they gave me as I waited each month for that positive pregnancy test, the total joy when I shared my big news, the visits, gifts, and meals when we brought my sweet baby girl home from the hospital, the advice and support as I learned how to be a mom. We are now scattered in 8 states, busy mothering, working, making new friends and embracing new challenges, but I still love my girls and am so greatful to have them in my life.

My girls, or most of them, anyway, are descending upon Charlottesville for Book Club Reunion 2008. I'm home, not ready or able to leave my nursing babe. I'm wiping away tears as I think about Erin giddily flying for the first time by herself post-kids, Jodi hopping on a train, Jennifer and Susie packing their cars, and Liz preparing for them all. I'm commiserating with Amy, Brandy, and Gina, who, like me, can't make it this year. Last year, just 11 weeks pregnant with William and horribly nauseaous the whole weekend, I knew I'd miss this year. Next year, I won't. I love you, girls - drink a glass of Arbor Mist's finest for me!