The "Other" Girls

My hometown, my college town, my law school town, my "I'm an adult now and have a job" town, and back to my hometown. Each of these locations resulted in a handful (or two) of very close friends. After college, I remember thinking I could never make any friends that I'd know as well, or who would know me as well, as my college friends. Much to my surprise, I did. And I cherish each and every one of my friends. But there's something to be said for the group that "helped raise me".

These girls taught me the real stuff. Things I should have known long before I did, in many cases. ;) They listened. They told me secrets. They laughed with me. They cried with me. They understood. They were - and are - my girls.

If there's something about me that only one or two people know, chances are, they're in the mix.

We don't get to see each other often. Very little, actually. We're in our mid-30s. Between the 5 of us, we have 11 kids. We are busy, busy, busy. We live 6 hours apart, spanning 3 states. Although I tend to see 1 or more of these girls at least once a year, it's very rare that all 5 of us can see each other - much less spend a weekend together. This past weekend, we did.

I don't know who lives next to my friend in Chicago. If she has a noisy neighbor, or a barking dog. I don't know what my friend near Bloomington wears to work or when she takes a lunch break. I don't know if my friend in Goshen has finished her basement for a third time. Stupid water damage. I don't know if my friend near Peoria listens to country music as much as we did back in the late 90s.

We don't know each other like we did when we lived on the same floor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We haven't all lived in the same town for 14 years. But I do know how much these girls love me. And I know how much I love them. If one of them called me at 3 in the morning and said "I need you, Jamie," I'd find a way to be driving out of town within the hour. I know I can text them - even after a month or more without contact - and we'll pick up where we left off.

My only wish is that I would have done more with them when we were all together - back in those young days. :) One more late night talk, one more drive to the mall, one more hug, one more thank you - because I had them all the time back then. And now, life gets in the way a lot.

Make sure your friends know how much they mean to you. Make sure you tell them you love them. And you miss them. And make time for them however you can - even if it involves craziness, which this weekend did for us.

Love you girls. Miss you. Can't wait to see each one of you again - soon. For us, it will always be 1999. ;)