A Valentine for my Girls

So, it's Valentine's Day. (Big Audible Sigh...) I used to HATE this day with a passion - and I'll confess something right here and right now - I kind of still do. I mean - seriously - do we REALLY need a special day to FORCE the ones we love to declare their love and devotion with boxes of chocolate and overpriced flowers? Must we all head downtown to the latest and greatest restaurant to wait 20 plus minutes for a table that we reserved weeks ago, to eat off of a "special" prix-fix menu that was designed to hurry us in and out to maximize profits and not our dining experience? I know, I know - Bah-humbug - I'm the love-killer. Cupid-killer. Blah, blah, blah. The funny thing is - I'm actually a romantic at heart - I really am. Just not on Valentine's Day! I love it when PC says "Let's go on a date on Saturday because we haven't been out in a while." THAT'S romance to me. And I'm lucky - because I know that many, many ladies don't have a romantic guy like mine. So tonight - PC will be rewarded. NO red flannel sock monkey PJs for him. Tonight he will get the royal treatment - tonight he will get the non-flannel pjs! And NO fuzzy socks. Baum-chicka-baum-baum....

So, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I would like to send a Valentine to the ladies in my life that make my crazy, busy life a HAPPY, crazy, busy life. These are my girls - the ladies that I couldn't live without - my Friends. And I mean friends with a capital F. Not casual "hi, how are you doing" friends - but my true, blue FRIENDS. The ladies I could call in the middle of the night for any reason and they would be at my house within 10 minutes for any reason. The ladies who I would not only trust with MY life - but more importantly - the ladies I would and do trust with the lives of my children. Let me preface this by saying that I am lucky enough to have ALOT of friends - and I love and value each and every one of them. But the ladies I am about to introduce to you are special and unique characters in my life. They each play a role in my life and have helped make me into the person that I am today. Their names have all been changed - but they will all know who they are. And if you're going to follow my blog, you'll need to know who they are because they will make frequent appearances.

First of all - there is and always has been Fifi. Fifi has been my friend since we were twelve years old - so Fifi knows ALL of the dirt. She knows ALL of the old boyfriends, she has weathered all of the storms, the breakups, the crushes, the puppy love, the first real broken heart - the one that felt like it would never, ever heal. It did heal because Fifi spent an entire summer helping me scoop up all of the teeny, tiny broken bits and put them back together like a jigsaw puzzle. Unfortunately for Fifi - the jigsaw puzzle that was my heart was made of tissue paper that had gotten wet and had to be put back together with tweezers - oh so carefully to avoid tearing any of the pieces.And she did it - without a complaint. THAT is the kind of friend Fifi is. Fifi has lived across many oceans, and has traveled the seven seas, yet Fifi and I have managed to keep it together for more than 20 years now. We now live across a continent from one another - yet we are as connected today as we were when we lived within walking distance from each other's houses. And that connection keeps me going. So thank you Fifi - for always being my Valentine.

Then, there is Zena. Yes - Zena - as in the Warrior Princess. This girl has been through more CRAP than anyone I have ever known. I won't get into her particular brand of crap - but trust me - it's bad. Some of it is crap that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy bad -and for those of you who really know me and know what a vengeful person I can be - that's saying something. When I think of what she has suffered through in the past 15 years - I can't believe she is still standing. And not only is Zena still standing - but she is standing STRONGER, and TALLER, and PROUDER and BETTER and MORE GORGEOUS than ever before! If ANYONE had reason to say "You know what - screw it. I give up. I cannot do this anymore. I give up. I'm walking away - it's all way too much." it is Zena. No one would fault her - everyone would understand.(Not that Zena would have ever done that because she is Zena after all!) But Zena has been tested by fire. She has walked right through the fire and instead of letting it burn her and melt her and change her - it made her stronger. She used the fire to her advantage. How many of us can say THAT?? So Zena - I want to tell you that when I think of you, I am amazed by your courage and I am motivated by your strength. I am so honored to be your friend and proud of you and what you have accomplished.

Then we have Glynnis. Now Glynnis is one of the newest members of "the coven" as PC calls it. (He's a charmer!) Glynnis is - well, how does one put this - Glynnis is GORGEOUS. She just is gorgeous. She is the type of gorgeous that you really need to think twice about befriending because she is so damned pretty that she would make Megan Fox or Kate Hudson look like a troll if they were standing next to her. And, I am no Kate Hudson. Now, being me - I tried to find the inner ugly in Glynnis because how could someone be this beautiful on the outside without making some sort of deal with the devil? I mean - can't she be all twisty and rotten on the inside? And then I got to know her - and CRAPPERS! She is even PRETTIER on the INSIDE!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! Now I know that I sound very petty and superficial here. But Glynnis' gorgeousness is really the first thing you notice about her - and then once you get to know her - you realize how beautiful she is on the inside and the outside seems 100 times prettier - does that make sense? Glynnis is the type of friend who is just as busy as I am - maybe even busier! Yet - she doesn't even think TWICE about offering to do ANYTHING for you if you need it. And I do mean ANYTHING. Need to borrow her car -for a WEEK? You got it. Need a babysitter? - Like for the entire weekend? - You got it. Need someone to pick you up at 3am? - You got it. Need someone's child to be nice to your child because your kid is having a rough time? - ALL 3 of Glynnis' kids will treat your kid like queen for a day - AND MEAN it!! Holy CRAP! An angel really did fall from the sky! So Glynnis - thank you for falling from heaven - and landing in Abingdon. It was such a lucky break for me.

Then we have - Her Awesomeness. Yes - that is what I'm calling her because that is how I think of her. Her Awesomeness is a few years older than me and in short, is who I want to be when I grow up. She has it all together. Or at least appears to have enough together to make it all work. She ALWAYS makes me laugh - ALWAYS. She is the person that I ALWAYS look forward to seeing. She never complains about stupid, petty stuff. She always has something funny and witty to say. She adds so much to any conversation and is just terrific to be around. Every group of friends needs Her Awesomeness. (She is going to laugh her awesome laugh when she realizes that I've dubbed her with this ridiculous name!) She is the person that I can go to with really serious professional questions and she NEVER steers me in the wrong direction - ever. Her judgement is spot on and I trust her completely. She has taught me that it's more than OK to feel comfortable in my own skin - it is essential! That is a gift that I can never repay and that is why she is also my Valentine tonight.

Then we have Carrie. Carrie is like my "Mommy-Mentor". Carrie is also a few years older than me and has a few years on me in terms of child rearing. I have gone to Carrie in tears more times that I can count over potty training and transitioning from bottle to cup and crib to bed and my bed to his bed. Most recently Carrie had to hold my hand through "THE TALK". (That's a story for another post) And time and time again, Carrie has held my hand and told me not only that "it would all be OK" but that I would be OK and that I was a "great mom" when I most needed to hear that from someone other than PC. Somehow - Carrie always knows exactly what I need to hear exactly when I need to hear it. She is so tuned in and is such a great listener. I really don't think I would have survived potty training Bella without Carrie and I have serious doubts about surviving the teenage years without her support and guidance. Carrie is currently using her divine design talents to redecorate my house. Now,not only does this endeavor require talent and exquisite taste, it also requires extreme patience as I am highly indecisive and anxious about this entire process. So Carrie I thank you for your wisdom, your unfailing patience, devotion and not sticking forks into my eyeballs as we struggled to select paint colors for the living room and hallway. I trust you completely.

And finally - there is Sookie. Ahhh Sookie. What can one say about Sookie? Sookie is the friend I turn to when I need wise counsel. Sookie is the friend I turn to when I need marital advice. Sookie is the friend I turn to when I need someone to pick up my kids - like in five minutes - oh and they are sick. Sookie is the friend who I trust to make sure my kids aren't the smelly kids in the class should I die. Get the picture? And I'm that person for her as well - so I don't feel bad about asking her to do those things for me. She is the person who I allowed to see me on my 36th birthday when I was SO depressed about turning 36 that I wouldn't take off my pjs for an entire day. I will let Sookie see me in a bathing suit - at the beach - and I don't care what I look like. I let Sookie see ME - the real me. The me that not everyone gets to see.I trust her. THAT is a true friend. Sookie is one of the first people I told that the 30-day Shred made me pee my pants a little bit. (OK - I told Glynnis and Her Awesomeness as well) Sookie is my person. That's it.

These girls are my people. I wouldn't be ME if I didn't have these girls - these wonderful, amazing, strong, fearless, perfect, flawed, flawless awesome women. I couldn't live my life without them. They pick up my kids. They take them to and from ballet and baseball. They CARE about them. They LOVE them. They mother them when I can't. They care about PC. They care about my parents - they call them Nanny and Poppy. I wish everyone had friends like mine. So today, on this Valentine's Day, I wish them love and happiness and every good and amazing thing - because they all deserve it. (And yes, Sookie - you deserve a much better name.)