Girls Night

Everyone needs to get together with friends.

I especially am a fan of Guys Night and Girls Night out. 
My Hubby and I always realized how important it is for us to be individuals and to enjoy friendships outside of our marriage. 
Hmm.. that sounded strange. What I mean is to get out with friends without spouses.

Hubby works way to hard and way to many hours. He always has. Giving him a night out with guy friends is a rare but necessary step for his sanity.  When the girls were young, he went on a yearly Ski Trip with guy friends, that totally re-amped him. Later, he would jump on the Harley and go for a ride with a friend. Sometimes it's just grabbing a bite with a buddy.

For me~ I use to take a yearly trip with Besties, Have a Margarita night once and a while, and a favorite night out for me was BUNCO (which I have written about HERE ). Lately though, I am embracing girl friends and making every effect to spend more time with those who make me smile.

Mary, Bev, Maureen, Lee, Leslie, Me, Julie, Lisa, Norma

Last night I was Blessed to join some dear friends for a lovely evening.
I sent a message out to 20 girlfriends for a dinner get together and was pleasantly surprised that half were able to make it out on a Monday evening. (Julie L is missing from photo). The above photo shows you some of my high school classmates of the class of 1980. It was a joyous evening of laughter & random conversations all going at the same time. 

♥The clatter of friendship. 

It was heavenly♥ 

Part of the wonderful thing about this group of woman, is that even though we went to school together, and all knew each other, we did not "run" together in the same cliques. I considered them all friends, however, there were different points in my life that I was closer to one or the other over those years. Some I have been blessed with knowing well and not losing touch over the years. And some I hadn't seen in twenty-some years. Yet, we all picked up like it was yesterday. No awkward pause... no regrets...no tears. Just a bunch of belly laughs and even some gentle loving advice. Some have been widowed, some divorced, some celebrating 20-31 years of marriage. Some have children, some do not. But we all share a common love and desire to have girlfriends.

Life is short and unexpected. I have had too many things pull me down or knock me over. I am learning, you get what you get... make the best of it.  There is no time to waste feeling sorry or second guessing.  For me, I am going to grasp the golden ring, I am going to enjoy.

Reunion

I graduated from High School in 1980. Yep... Thirty years ago.

Wow... Where has the time gone?
Times have changed. Things have changed. And, people have changed.

This is me at my graduation in June of 1980. I am seventeen.

Seventeen... I didn't have a clue. When this was taken my plans were to attend Oklahoma Baptist University (no I wasn't a Baptist), get a degree in Special Education, marry my high school sweetheart, and have my first child by time I was 24.

Luckily, I followed God's plan instead of my own. Of course as my life progressed and things were not panning out the way I thought they should, I was , well, devastated. Much later I realized life does have a way of falling into place. Happily, God had a much better plan for me.
My parents had a big shin-dig for my graduation. Lots of friends, family and food. As well as booze. Here I am with my friend Marci, toasting our graduation with glasses of champagne my folks gave me. (oops, I am seventeen... ).
I remember everyone coming to our house, then a bunch of us went to the local YMCA for an overnight of swimming, basketball, and just hanging out. I wonder what ever happen to Marci, that was the last time I saw her, as well as many friends. We all went our separate ways. We didn't have email accounts and cell numbers. We didn't realize that we may never see each other again.

Flash forward to today. A little something called Facebook has reconnected friends. The fascination of stumbling onto an old classmates Facebook page is like. It has been alot of fun as well as useful in allowing friends to reconnect and even help each other in times of need.

Yesterday, my high school had a reunion of sorts. It was a Block Party in the neighborhood of the old high school. We were able to block off the street and had vendors selling us food, drinks and stuff. We had six bands, all consisting of at least one Howe HS graduate.

I went solo, as Sergio got caught up in work at the last minute. The moment I step onto the block I was greeted by familiar faces. Unbelievable. You recognize people but sometimes the name is missing. No problem, we are all there, laughing as we are telling each other who we are.


I enjoyed the evening. I hung out with my Sister Julie, as well as running into friends along the way. Pictured with me are: Maureen K., Amy A. & Me. Donna T & me. And Julie,Bryan S & me.

The interesting thing about these reunions are our expectations. What will people think about me? What will I think about them? How have they changed? How have I?

I don't have big expectations at these things. I just want the opportunity to say hello, reconnect and enjoy the company.

For the most part, I have been very blessed to keep in touch with friends. I lose a few now and then, but always rejoice at reconnecting. It is wonderful to be able to pick up with someone that I haven't seen in years, and feel that comfort immediately.
Occasionally, I will run into someone, happily and then start to remember why we drifted in the first place.

I must say last night was lovely. I truly enjoyed all I ran across. Missing a few that I hoped to see, but for the most it was a good night to be a Howe Hornet.