MDC Christmas Party version 2000.8

(sorry, these pictures are all blurry.)
I cannot even express how lucky I am to have friends that I love this much. Sometimes I get into funks where I feel like people don't really "get" me, and with the exception of my husband this is probably true 90% of the time. Lately I've been thinking about how much more complex it is to have good friends once you are a couple and have kids & jobs & whatnot. You also have to get along with your friends' spouse and approve of their parenting style, have similar spending patterns, interests, hobbies and taste in food. At least it makes things easier if you do. There are just so many more factors that effect the friendship. It kinda stinks. I remember being in high school & thinking that when I was married, I'd have my friends over all the time & it would be one non-stop party. I guess it's the way it's supposed to be, but our families become our priority & sometimes that makes it hard to have close friendships like you did in high school. I've been feeling a bit out of place lately & adding that to some of the other straws on my camel's back, I've had a rough two days. (probably hormones, let's face it, but that doesn't make it any more fun.) To make a long story short, tonight was just what I needed. No drama, no insecurities, nobody putting on a show, (clearly)just laughing till my face hurts and feeling completely loved. Even though they know all the dumb things about me (that I call people "nasty ho" occasionally, that I snort when I laugh, that I have an affinity for shoes that are all together too tall for me, that I am ridiculously rude when woken up, that I flip dogs off, etc., etc., etc.) for some reason they still love me, make fun of me and remind me that I ran away crying the first time that we hung out. I literally feel like each of these girls was a complete God-send in my life, and collectively they have been my rock so many more times than they will ever know. Not only that, but they are amazing examples to me, and inspire me to be better in so many ways. And they make me laugh my brains out. So Trudy, Kierstin, Jolene, Jill, Becky, Kathryn & Kirsten, whether you read this blog or not, I hope you know that I love you and would do anything for you. (sorry I didn't get pictures of all of us together, I was too busy feeding my face chocolate fountain stuff.) Let's do better at staying in touch & get together more often. Kierst, you may now leave a smart-a*& comment about how sappy this is. And the boys who put up with us.... I kinda like them too.