It's Amazing What A Little Break Can Do...

Hello Everyone!

Well, I am officially back from my relaxation tour (that almost sounds Britney Spear-ish doesn't it?!), and while I wish I could say I came back looking like this lovely young lady...

I did, however, come back with the same contented smile on my face (although I'm sure our smiles are because of vastly different reasons...LOL!)

It's amazing what a few days of rest and relaxation can do for one's well-being. Throw in some (only your best friends really know you) kind of laughter and it almost makes you feel as if you can single handily tackle the looming state of our United States economy. Okay, that might be a lofty aspiration...but, you get the picture, right?

I have come to find out that best girlfriends are akin to children and pets...no matter what you do, how you act, or what you look like (or don't look like anymore...LOL!), they love you unconditionally. There are no pretenses, no rules of proper etiquette, no politically correct verbiage - - you are loved just for being you (and you feel just the same about them).

I don't think I could have gotten through this past year of trying to conceive without my girlfriends. Sure, I have the support and love from my immediate family and that is truly a blessing, but it is my dearest, oldest and bestest (if that is even a word?) girlfriend(s) who:

1. Allowed me to show up at her doorstep or place of employment for her to give me my monthly trigger shot because (at the time) I was too chicken to do so myself.

2. When I was miscarrying my first angel baby, followed me and my husband to the hospital in a torrential and dangerous rain storm, stayed with me the entire night right by my side, and then, because she is a nurse at the same hospital, made sure that I was treated with extra special care the entire time I was there.

3. Drove 3 1/2 hours just to spend overnight with me on my birthday because she knew my husband was away at Army drill and the thought of me being at home by myself after just having suffered a miscarriage 6 days earlier was just too unbearable for her to think about.

4. Cried just as much as I did when, for the second time in less than 4 months, I had to call and let her know that I had lost my second angel baby.

Yes, these are the same girlfriends who have been there for each other through weddings, births of children, deaths of a sibling and a parent, house moves to another state, birthday and anniversary celebrations, Holiday get-togethers, etc. No matter what, we have been there for one another.

So, as I try to get back into the groove of being back at work and tackling home life, I can't help but once again look back at the special time spent with my girlfriends and know that no matter what's in store for me trying to conceive or otherwise, they will be right there by my side just like they were when we were all laying next to each other on our beach chairs this past week/weekend.

What about you? Do you have a special girlfriend or girlfriends? What's one of the most meaningful things they have done for you or that you have done together? Share your story in the comments below this blog entry. I know that if the readers are like me (and I'm sure they are) they would love to read about your girlfriend closeness too.