Girlfriends...

Green Party 2012

Growing up I always just had one close girlfriend at a time. I've always blamed this partially on my hearing problem, it's tough to be in group situations when you are hearing impaired, following a conversation a nearly impossible. I always pipe up only to find out that everyone is actually talking about something different. For example once I was sitting at a lunch table with two other co-workers who were talking about dressings, I asked if they had tried any of the Annie's organic dressings because I had been wanting to try some of them. There was an awkward silence. That's how I know that I'm way off. Turns out they were talking about dressers not dressing. But anyway, as I've gotten older I've realized that my lack of girlfriends is actually more due to me not following the girl code. You know, how girls squeal and scream and hug everytime they see each other? Yeah, I've never done that, or even understood that. Going to the bathroom together? No thanks. Complimenting each other incessantly? Yeah I didn't do that either, it seemed too fake to me. And I had no idea until fairly recently that telling another girl she looked anorexic was a compliment. I'm too practical minded, if a girl ever complains about her weight my first instinct is to ask about her workout regimen, not to assure her that she isn't fat. Needless to say, girl relationships have never been my strong suit. 

I got lucky though when I moved to CA and I made not just one but several fabulous girlfriends. I don't know if it was because we were the Disneyland ward or what but for some reason those girls took me in and accepted me as their own. They tolerated my awkwardness, my sometimes inappropriate sense of humor, the way that i hated hugs, and they even taught me a few secrets to girfriendhood. Like I now know that I'm supposed to always ask if someone's lost weight and to end every statement with an "I know, right?!!" I learned how to be empathetic (or to at least appear to be, still working on that one, haha), I learned that compliments can be sincere even if they are given out frequently, and I even learned to hug. It was a huge deal. The best part about all of this is that not only did I learn some invaluable life lessons but we've stayed close even though we've all moved away. Last week we had a virtual Green Party for St. Patricks Day. We each drew a name and we put together a box of green goodies and sent to the girl whose name we drew, then on St Patricks Day we all opened our green box and posted online for our virtual green party. Here a few of the goodies we got in our green boxes.

 And then we all dressed up like Irish dancers or leprechauns and danced our booties off.

Anyway, the point of all this is say that I'm grateful for such wonderful, thoughtful, funny, sweet girlfriends.  

And may I just say, you all look suuuuuper skinny in these photos here. ;)