Get yourself some girlfriends....You are gonna need em

Many years ago when I was first married, I was 
relaxing under a magnolia tree on a humid Louisiana summer day, drinking iced tea and getting to know my new sister-in-law, Estelle. I had moved to my husband's hometown and she was the only family member close to my age. Not much older than me, but already the mother of three, Estelle seemed to me experienced and wise. Her face suddenly took on a very serious expression and in the most charming of Southern drawls she said to me,"Get yourself some girlfriends," clinking the ice cubes in her glass. "You're gonna need girlfriends to go places with and do things with." 
What a funny piece of advice, I thought. Hadn't I just gotten married? Hadn't I just joined the "couple-world?" I was a married woman, for goodness sake! Not a young girl who needed girlfriends anymore. I had girlfriends when I was 
living at home and in high school! 

But I listened to this new sister-in-law and I got myself some girlfriends. As the years tumbled by, one after another, gradually I came to understand that Estelle knew what she was talking about. And I remembered that she had said the word "girlfriends" with a lot of emphasis. And year after year I discovered the subtle difference between friends and girlfriends. 
You go to work with friends, go to dinner with friends, go to church with friends, belong to clubs with friends. You send friends greeting cards. You need friends in your life. After all, all girlfriends were once only friends. And all Southern women have friends and they also have girlfriends. But a girlfriend is different. 

First of all, a girlfriend is NOT "just like a sister." 
Sisters have a distinct bond, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Sisters flow from family love and attachments. Girlfriends choose each other. Over the years girlfriends have blessed my life. And here is what I have learned about them: 

Girlfriends don't compete. 

Girlfriends will bring casseroles and also scrub your bathroom or all floors when you are sick. 

Girlfriends will keep your children, and they will keep your secrets. 

Girlfriends give advice when you ask for it. 
Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't. 
And it makes no difference..either way. 

Girlfriends don't always tell you that you are right. 

Girlfriends might send you a birthday card, but they might not. And if they don't it does not matter in the least. 

Girlfriends laugh with you and you sometimes need absolutely nothing to start the laughter. 

Girlfriends don't talk about you behind your back. 

Girlfriends help you out of jams, the dumps, and the blues. 

Girlfriends don't keep a calendar that lets them know whose turn it is to do what. 

Girlfriends will give a party for your son or daughter when they get married or have a baby in whichever order that comes! 

And girlfriends are there for you in an instant, and truly... when the hard times come. 

Girlfriends listen when you lose a job, a husband, or anyone dear to you. 

Girlfriends will listen when your children break your heart, and will hold you when you cry. 

Girlfriends will listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail, and cry with you. 

When girlfriends are young, they have no idea of the incredible joys or the incredible sorrows that lay ahead of them. Nor do they know how much they will need each other. 
Young women today should take my sister-in-law's advice. "Get yourself some girlfriends." 
You're gonna need them. 

the two best Julie's

two of my three favorite girls, Julie and Jessi

Love this girl!!!

WHAT WHAT????

Yes that is Southern Comfort, and yes we drank it. Not to much though, relax!

Love!

Julie did you spill something on your purse?

I have no idea but something was funny

I love Anna, she cracks me up. Can you tell?

doubled over laughing is the best laughing!!!

I have an idea of what I am telling her!

Anna was going to polish her toes but somehow she never managed too..

the trunk of Anna's car has looked like this since she was 15, I swear!!!

beach time

love the hat Julie

hello Mr. Sunshine!!

self portraits!

good thing she is skinny

WHat?What?

One day I will be skinny again too. lol

don't ask, don't tell

Julie and Anna

My girls!! Jessi, Anna, Julie and Julie

Have loved her since 6th grade!

I think that is more southern comfort. Pretty sure it is. :)

Swyping!

LOL

Julie had never been to FloraBama!!! :)

Anna and Julie

The Julie's

At Lulu's with one of my favorite girls, at my favorite place!!

I read this many years ago and have loved it at first read!!  Back in December I got to thinking about friends and time spent with them, or lack there of.  I realized that I have a lot of acquaintances and a lot of friends.  I have a handful of super close friends and I decided that I wanted to start planning something with my three closest friends that, for the most part I grew up with.  The girls that have known me through it all and luckily still love me! :) I would love to plan something with all of my girlfriends but there is just no way, and to many girls in one place never ends well! Ha!! So I called up Anna, Jessi and Julie and told them we would be starting our first annual girls spring fling this year!!!  I am happy to report that they were all as excited as me and we spent the second weekend in April together in Orange Beach.  I can not tell you how MUCH we laughed and talked and stayed up WAY to late and had the best time ever! It was so needed and I am already looking forward to next year!!!! :)  LOVE LOVE LOVE MY GIRLS!!!!!