Girls Night Out...

16 years after meeting these girls, I can still vividly remember how it all began. I was 14 years old, trying to find my way around this new planet I had landed (AKA high school). I had spent 9 years prior at a small elementary/middle school in the county. I grew up with the same kids from Kindergarten to 8th grade with very few changes along the way. Then came high school. When I moved up to 9th grade, I knew the 48 kids that came with me. That was it. In a sea of 800 teenagers. Can I tell you I was SCARED TO DEATH? Those "city kids" were a scary bunch. They had known each other all of their lives and they liked it that way. Why in the world would they want to befriend someone new? Someone like me?

Second period--freshman year, I sat behind a girl named Rachel in Coach Thaxton's World Geography Class. I loved that class because of her and looked forward to it every day. I thought she was intelligent, witty and fun. I enjoyed talking to her and listening to her stories. She always had great ones to tell (even if we got in trouble for talking in the process).

As time passed I became friends with April, Rachel's best friend. Then I met Andrea in Sophomore Biology (who happened to be best friends with Suzanne and Shannon). The five of them were "city girls" who grew up together. I was the odd ball, and sometimes they gave me a hard time about it, but I still loved them.

12 years after our high school graduation, it feels just as it did back in the day. We've all graduated from college, joined the ranks of married life, acquired a mortgage and most of us have started a family. All by the ripe old age of 30. We've changed as individuals, enlarged our social circles but our commonality remains...four drama filled years of education, pep rallies, football games, cruising "the strip", great friends and many memories (both good and not so good).

I spent this evening reminiscing with these girls (sans Andrea) at one of my favorite places. Dinner was fantastic and we shut the place down. I don't think I've ever said that before so I'd like to say it again. We shut the place down. hehehehe. We laughed until we nearly peed our pants (well maybe that was just me). We remembered the days when our highest priorities were our friends, our wardrobe and who was cruising the strip on Friday night. We were reminded of things we had long forgotten and a few things we wish we COULD forget. Ladies, I had a great time on our girls night out. The adult conversation and comic relief were therapeutic for this stay at home Mommy. In my very best Shannon voice I'd like to say "Call Me". hehehe. Let's not wait so long to do it again. Hugs to all...L to R: Mommy, April, Rachel, Shannon and Suzanne
(Andrea, where the heck are ya?)