"Oh No You Dih-ent, Girlfriend!"

The second great love of my life is actually a group, and that group can be divided into 3 parts. Let’s get started:

Some girls play better with boys; some pair up with one girl in particular, some belong to a pack of girls. -heck, some kids have so many siblings and close cousins that they don’t even need to look out of their family to find a playmate. I’m not that girl. I’m a Girls Girl. Ok, I take that back, I’m a Girls Girl with the token boy. I’ve always been friends with the girls, and then usually had one boy that I was close too. I can even list the boys:

Mayport Elementary: Jeffery from the Bronx by way of the US Navy

Navy Point Elementary: Chris (kind of a whiny, sickly Momma’s boy)

Horace Mann Elementary: Chris Dinning

Lyons Middle School: Chris Dinning/Andy Grotelueschen

Clinton High School: Andy Grotelueschen & Chris Swales

(Anyone notice the abundance of Christophers in my world? Even my Dad is a “Chris.”)

Drake University: Kevin McLane until Sophomore/Junior year

Age 20-23: Matt Kiel

Age 23-29: Jason Taylor

And since Jason and I parted ways… Scott has more than picked up the slack.

You would think this constant testosterone presence in my world would help in my relations with the opposite sex, but as you read about Pete Walker, it obviously didn’t.

Part 1.

The most important part of a girl’s childhood is her friends. Whether it’s one or ten, a child needs a friend. And I have always been lucky enough to have friends. Being a child on the move with the US Navy, if I didn't make friends quickly, it was a long 3 years. So, I was talkative and loud, I made people notice me. (See the confidence issue in the last post.) As a child, this wasn’t a bad thing, and I collected some pretty great friends.

Sue, Anousha, & Beth as my bridesmaids, 10/30/08

I started my Iowa collection in the 5^th grade when we moved here. I met Beth at the back of the 5^th grade band bus that transported us from our separate elementary schools to Lyons Middle School for band practice. She looked cherubic with her round face surrounded by a mass of perfect strawberry-gold curls. She played the flute for a year, and we didn’t talk much, she seemed snobbish. We were in the same class at the start of sixth grade and we fought back and forth for the next three years for control of our group. We would be best friends and worst enemies at the same time. We were the original Frenemies. 
I met Anousha in the 6th grade. She sat behind me in Mrs. Streba's class. I was amazed that she had 2 adult older sisters, and a little sister about Shannon's age. We became great friends, and by high school, Anousha was my best friend.  
Beth brought Sue into our group-ish in the 9th grade. They had gone to parochial school together before Beth joined the public schools in the 3rd grade. Sue was a thespian, so she hung out with the theatre crowd, but she blended so well with so many people. 
There were other girls, and my teens years wouldn't have been the same without them and thanks to Facebook, we've reconnected. But Beth, Anousha and Sue are the most important women from my childhood. I was Beth's Maid of Honor, all three of them were in my wedding. Whenever anything big has happened in my life, these women were a part of it. I love them dearly. Don't get me wrong, we've had serious problems, mostly caused by living so far apart: Beth is in Maryland, Sue is in west Texas, and Anousha is in LA. That's the hardest part. Sue and I talk regularly, and I think we are the closest now. But I know that if I ever need anything or just want to talk, they will all be there for me. I've had these girls in my life since I was 10 years old. How many people can say that?
Part 2.

Chi O sisters at my 2008 wedding: Katie, April, Marci, Brandy,
& Melissa

I joined a sorority my first semester in college. I am proud to say that I am a Chi Omega, that I am part of the 2nd largest Women's organization in the world (next to the Girl Scouts, and I was one of those too.) I am also proud to say that I paid for my sisters. I love these women as much as I do my friends from home. I became an adult with these women. I fell in love with these women cheering me on. These women serenaded me at my wedding. I found Myself with these women by my side. Weston was wanted by these women as much as he was wanted by our families. They were at the hospital, and he was welcomed into our group from the very beginning. For the full story, look here. But suffice it to say, 14 years later I am still seeing these women as much as we can. And I love them too.


Part 3. 
Part 3 consists of the women I have made my friends during adulthood. Mainly they consist of 3 women who I can't see my life without. I met Jess when I first started working at Damon's Grill when I was 20 years old. She was 6 months older than me, but already married and with a small son. She seemed so confident, empowered. I was amazed by her confidence. I taught her how to wear skirts and how to enjoy being a girl. She taught me how to be confident enough to go to Walmart in my jammie pants without makeup. She helped me to love myself. She introduced me to Scott. I love her like a sister. We live too far away now, but that doesn't matter at all. 
Jean was just a young girl when we met at the construction of the Lowe's in Altoona. She likes to joke that she knew me before I was married. Jean was the popular, beautiful, cheerleader from the good suburb. But inside, Jean is a fat girl trapped in a skinny body. She is Donna Reed 50 years later. (I wonder if she knows who Donna Reed is?) Jean and I bonded at Lowe's, and I brought her to Onthank when a spot came open. This is the first time in almost 8 years that I haven't spent my working day with Jean. She's one of my closest friends. And it doesn't hurt that her son Drew is 7 days older than Weston.

Danell, Shannon, and I at Wicked, 2011

Danell is the wife of a former co-worker. I like Adam, but I love Danell. She is so happy and full of life. Being around her just brightens my day. Her youngest son is only 6 days older than Weston. That helped to bond us together. But in all honesty, I think Danell and I were always meant to be friends. Without the kids, and husbands, we'd still be friends.

These woman have made me the person I am today. I would be greatly lacking if even one of them were missing from my life, and the fact that they all are present in my life is a testament to our love for each other. And my husband understands that I need my girl time. Which just makes me love him more, because he cares for these women too, and he sees the bond that we share.