My Girls

I think we as women need other women.  It's just a fact.  We are social creatures, much more than our counterparts.  Jake could care less if he had a night out with the boys.  Sure, it could be fun, but does he crave that social interaction? Nope.  Me, on the other hand, I crave GNOs (Girls' Night Out).  I look forward to the weekly playdates, not just because the kids get to be social, but because I get to interact with my girlfriends.  I get excited when I find out someone in our neighborhood is pregnant, because it means I get to help plan a baby shower (another excuse for a GNO!)  I just love hanging out with my friends.

I've been so lucky.  It seems that everywhere we move, I find women who become my dear friends.  They teach me about compassion, they help me be a better mom and wife, and they inspire me to be a better friend.  We have lived in North Salt Lake nearly three years now and lately I have felt so lucky, to move into such an awesome neighborhood with amazing women all around me.  The longer I live here, the more I realize we really were brought here for a reason.  I have met people here who have touched my life and helped me to be a better "me."

Speaking of dear friends... last fall a few girlfriends and I set-up a GNO.  The ones who came loved the time away and we all decided to keep the tradition going, so each month we plan a GNO at someone's house.  We come with the intention of popping popcorn and watching a movie, but 99% of the time the movie never gets started and we end up talking until 1 or 2am.  These women have become my sisters.  It seems that Heavenly Father put these sweet girls in my life at this time so they could help me through my trials, and so I could help them through theirs.  It's so true that women need women.  I call Abby, Amber, Selena, Meighan, and Kim "my girls", because they truly are that.  We have helped each other through so many things this past year, things we never would have dreamt could happen.  These girls are tender mercies in my life and I love them all so much.

  Kim, Selena, Meighan, Abby, Amber, and me.  Meighan was Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and we were all able to be there and cheer her on (even though she didn't need our cheering.  She was already awesome to begin with!)

Amber, Selena, Kim, Abby, Meighan, and me.  We all went to Vegas in May for a weekend and had one of the best vacations ever!  We saw a Cirque du Soleil show, gambled a few bucks (Selena won enough to pay for our valet!), shopped, ate great food, and enjoyed staying up late in our hotel room, talking about anything and everything.

My girls carried me through the week that led up to my surgery, and of course, way beyond.  They provided meals, babysitting, and plenty of support.  They all made lung cancer awareness bracelets (and they still wear them often!)

Kim, Abby, Meighan, me, Selena, and Amber.  They planned a "Hospital GNO" and stayed until 1am.  They brought me flowers, visited multiple times, brought treats, took my kids for playdates, bathed me, rented movies for me, let me borrow their books, etc.  Such great friends!

They were my "Team Jamie" and supported the 5K I was supposed to run, but couldn't because I was still in the hospital.  My mom took my place and ran with Abby, Meighan, and Kim, and Amber and Selena cheered and took pictures for me.  Afterward they all came up to my hospital room and told me all about the race.

All these great ladies helped to put on one of the best garage sales I've ever seen.  It was huge and took a lot of people to make it happen.  In the end enough money was raised to pay for our medical deductible this year and enough to pay for my two CT scans next year.

I know I'm incredibly lucky to have such beautiful, capable, talented, amazing women in my life.  I hope they know how much I cherish each of them.  Love you, girls!