Girls' Trips

My husband is not my best friend. Sorry readers, he just isn't. I love him. I even like him, but after 16 years of marriage, he is not my best friend.

Who are my best friends? My girlfriends. I need my girls. I really do. We talk on the phone, go on walks together, get dinner, lunch, or coffee. We talk about our kids, religion, politics, the crazy bus driver, the neighbor with the shitty lawn, and the neighborhood Facebook page that is better than any real housewives show. And yes, we discuss our BRAVO shows too!

Some of my favorite friends do not live in the same city as I do, so we schedule girls' trips. The kiddos stay home with the husbands, grandparents, or a baby sitter. A weekend for just us friends. What happens that weekend is awesome. We eat, drink, talk, all in person! We hug, laugh, cry, roll eyes, smile, all in person! People need people. I need people. The phone and social media are not enough for me.

To all my girlfriends - thank you for your friendship and thank you for making time for girls' trips.

Thank you for using Waze vs Google Maps and driving us through areas of the state that look straight out of a horror movie and make me think about how many dead bodies are out in the remote area.

Thank you for stopping on the side of the road so I could pee in a fucking cup. My thighs might touch, but man can they squat and allow for a successful pee in the cup experience.

Thank you for having a pool so we could lay out without going somewhere.

Thank you for willingly splitting the bill evenly every time. Pretty sure we wouldn't be friends if you were one of those damn people saying your meal was less.

Thank you for making reservations at a restaurant that are appealing to all of us - even our meat and potato friend.

Thank you for introducing me to pickle shots.

Thank you for suggesting the bar after dinner because even though at 40 we all could have gone home, we needed to rally and party like the college girls we once were.

Thank you for staying up until 2:30 in the morning to have a conversation.

Thank you for the countless conversations.

Thank you for leaving your work day early because our weekend started.

Thank you for driving six hours to meet us.

Thank you for flying on a plane to join us.

Thank you for the profanity filled conversations because let's face it, any friend of mine has a mouth like a fucking sailor. They just hide it better than I do.

Thank you for ordering that weird dish that I made fun of and then ate it all.

Thank you for compromising on the weekend's events so that all of us did something we chose.

Thank you for giving me the affirmations I needed.

Thank you for telling me like it is.

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for understanding the value of friendship.

Thank you for your love of Garth Brooks.

I love my annual girls' trips. While I barely get any sleep, they leave me empowered and full of energy, ready to face my role of wife and mother with a renewed outlook. These weekends allow me to release the inner party girl that gets locked up most of the time.

Until next time, best friends!