The Hardest Part

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

I HAVE BEEN VERY BLESSED IN THE FRIEND DEPARTMENT.

Seriously, I have some of the most wonderful girlfriends a person could ever hope to find.

And as a mom, a woman, and a person in general,
 I believe friends are one of the most important things in life.

In our friends, we find support, encouragement, and wisdom.

We have fun, we laugh, and a we comfort one another.

I go to my friends when I need to gripe, complain, or simply ask, 'WHY ME?'.

My friends are the ones I seek out when I need reassurance that I'm doing the right thing, or more importantly, when I need someone to tell me that I'm doing wrong.

And while I could not be more thankful for my friends, I have a problem.

For you see, while I have all of these wonderful friends, they all live far away. We're talking hours.  And while I've met some new friends since moving, there's just something about having someone in your life who knows your history, your in's and out's, and your quirks that is so very comforting. And right now, I have to do without it, at least in the physical sense, for months at a time.

We've moved twice in the last three years, and both times I've essentially had to start over in the local friend department. And while I hate the packing and labeling and taping and heavy lifting that comes with moving, it's the new friend mission that I dread the most.

I am not a shy person, nor do I consider myself an introvert. However, I believe that good, true friends are not easily found. It's also something that doesn't happen over night. Not to mention, now that I'm a mom with a full time job at work and a full time job at home, 'free time' to mingle and visit with my girlfriends is in short supply. But I need it. I am a better person when I have regular grown up girl time. And while I talk and text and facebook my friends often, it's just not the same as face to face, giggling til the wee hours of the morn kinda girl time.

If only I'd known in college what I know now, I would have told those boys 'see ya later' and spent every waking moment with my girls. And I'll keep on praying for a close friend of the local variety, one with an equal need for regular girl time, an equal understanding of what it's like to be a working mom, and perhaps an equally strong love of coffee......