Eleven

This past weekend, the girls and I celebrated our 11th anniversary.

I am not quite sure how this happened because I still feel like I am 23 and recently recovering from my *NSYNC obsession.

(Okay, let's be honest. I never really recovered.)

(I still love them.)

(Boy bands forever.)

But eleven years with these girls is one of my most favorite accomplishments. It takes work and each of us have fought to stay together. And I am so glad we have because it is rare to find people who know you so well.

For our fun weekend on the town, we all headed downtown to our favorite hotel, sans babies, husbands and to-do lists, and spent 24 hours eating, relaxing and laughing.

Jenn, Abby, Kim, Natalie and Rachel making the lobby look beautiful.

This has become our designated hang-out spot. We take over this whole section of the lobby while we try to eat as much of the free happy hour buffet as possible.

Two of these girls are currently preggers. That makes babies #11 and #12, already loved so much!

After we eat all the free food we can, we then go up to our room, change and primp, and then go out to a fabulous dinner. My apologies to Jenn for covering up her face. Sometimes I have limited control over my limbs.

 

 

The best selfie ever. Abby took this as we were walking downtown and I love how happy we all are. It's perfect.

 



 

The girls had a belated birthday celebration for me and a flaming piece of cheesecake landed right in front of me. I love flaming cheesecake.

 

 

And I love how special these girls make you feel on your big day.

 

SIDE NOTE: a five-week birthday is highly recommended. Try to make it happen.

 

 



 

The next morning, after seven us (plus my breathing machine) piled into one hotel suite to sleep, we headed downstairs to once again tackle the buffet.

 

And here is my home-girl Rachel. She is my other sister. Claire agrees.

 

 

Eight omelets, multiple cups of coffee, muffins, bagels, fabulous conversation and a mountain of bacon later, we loaded up and headed home, refreshed, full and excited for the next year ahead.

Eleven years is a lot of life lived: joy, heartache, accomplishments, frustrations, weddings, babies, promotions, graduations, beginnings, endings, hope restored. And I am so glad I have lived it with these girls.