Oh, hello 75 Degrees. There you are!

And, we kick off the 1st of our Thursday afternoons at the beach.  It's a summer Girls Night tradition that started long before we had kids and now it includes them.  The tradition has changed.  It started with spreading out blankets on the grassy spot at Coulon Beach, sitting down in our work clothes, ordering root beer shakes from Kidd Valley, and chatting about what bar we'd be going to that weekend or who Court was dating.  ;) 

Now, it involves pre-packing a tote bag the night before (at least for those with 2 kids) with towels, sunscreen, extra clothes, water bottles, sand pails, bottles, baby food, diapers, and the camera.  Dinner is a little more planned.  And, we are plopped in the sandy, noisy kid area followed by trips to the playground.  Breckin and Natalee are corraled by which ever Auntie is looking.  Ella- since this is her first trip- sits in her carseat happily in the shade. 

Three of us were missing tonight and the operative word there is missing.  I miss them.  Like, almost to the point of tears.  Our group has ebbed and waned as life has changed for each of us.  Beach or not, we'll always be close.  Girls night or not, we'll always be the soul mates that Carrie Bradshaw eloquently pointed out.  We started out with the common ground of watching the Bachelor.  And, let me tell you what, Aaron got stuck in a few of those nights but he still, to this day, does one of the best impersonations of a snarky, bitchy female because of it.  The group grew as more friends graduated and we've gone from the best surprise birthday weekend ever to buying houses. Everyone getting a dog to numerous BBQ parties. Three pregnancies to a fabulous, upcoming 2011 celebration of the next Mr. Girls Night. 

Watching Breckin and Natalee play in the sand is a tribute to how far we've come.  They are entering Kindergarten and we've been friends, Aunties, sisters, and- if you know us well enough, we can say this- brothers for 10 years.  Some of us, even longer.  Every other relationship- whether it be high school classes, spouses, or corporations- throw themselves a huge 10 year bash.  I say we do the same.  Jetta has been pointing out her fabulous girlfriends lately, and I want to do the same.  I love them.  Here's to another 10 years, ladies.  Let's plan a party to celebrate us.