I grew up with several fantastic girlfriends. When I went away to college, I wasn’t sure how I’d ever replace them-the way familiarity made everything so easy. The way they knew my family & lived out most of my memories right along with me, so they knew where I was coming from-no back story needed was more appreciated than ever now that I was in a city in the middle of the country where I knew only the boyfriend that I had broken up with on the trip (run-on sentence of the century, but I don’t have much time to edit!)
Freshmen year was rough. By day, I was confident & enthusiastic. By night, I was crying to my mom about my unmet expectations. Without warning, Sophomore year was the best of my life! I coincidentally landed in a dorm room down the hall from girls that became like sisters to me almost instantly. We traveled in a pack-like formation. It was fantastic!
The funny thing about our tightly-knit group was how different each gal was from the next. Most of those gals ended up being the bridesmaids at my wedding. Since graduating we’ve met each year for either a wedding or a birth. Now, most of us are married & are moms, but our separate lives across the country are in many ways as different as our new last names.I’m getting somewhere, besides down memory lane!
I met Lori in college. She was much too responsible to be fooling around in the pack I was writing about above. When I reconnected with her a while back, I read her charming blog only to find out that we had babies within weeks of each other in the same years, same sexes even! Lori & I are lots different but, we share similar core values: God, marriage, kids, coffee (& trying to keep them in that priority order!) among other things that I discover as a regular loribunk.com reader.
Isn’t it amazing how we’re almost never alone?
We moved from NY to TX while I was pregnant with our first child. In my first months as a new mom I was more lonely than ever, but never alone. Motherhood can be isolating. Then I discovered Target in a whole new way! I got dressed (in real clothes) & perused the aisles. This is where all the new moms are! I remember looking over at moms with carriers in their carts & making eye contact that spoke volumes (usually “This is the first time I’ve showered all week” or “I haven’t slept all night in months”). Then came real live mom friends and now Facebook & mommy blogs!
I love Lori for her creative parenting & for the testimony that Isaac’s sensitivity to the Lord is to the way that Lori loves the Lord in front of him. Even if Zoey screams & Lori gets embarrassed, I don’t feel so bad about my spontaneous & embarrassing screaming 1 yr old girl! What I’ve learned is, you may be surprised by who can become a great friend-she may not look or dress like you or she may seem to have it FAR TOO TOGETHER to relate to how inadequate you’re feeling. Take the time to invest in friendships. You might be time-crunched & sleep-deprived, but pick a few good gals & stay invested.
I loved this Parenting Magazine article “6 Friends every mom needs”.
Be sure you have a friend in your same boat, a friend that has been there, done that, and even throw in a No-Kid pal to remind you that a little makeup & a new shirt can work wonders for your self-esteem!
Tina
Tina and I have known each other since college, but like she stated, have reconnected through our "mommy-days." She lives in Texas with her husband Dan and her two beautiful children, Carter (3 years) and Lilah Sophia (1-year). You can follow her blog at www.detailgal.com
-Lori-
All in all we had a great time. I got to spend time with the people I love the most in this world, and that is always something I don't take for granted! Now to unpack...
