Day 53/365 My girls

OK, maybe this is cheating a bit, but I've been working my butt off on this after school, so I feel like this counts...sort of.  These are not new pictures, but I've been trying to put all of the yaya pictures I have on my computer and external hard drive in one place so that I can pull them up as needed.  I've decided to have a slide show dedicated to my best friends, confidantes, partners in crime (literally after Sunday...ha ha), shoulders to cry on, wind beneath my wings, my YA YAS. 
I love these girls with all of my heart.  I've gradually accumulated them one by one, starting with me knowing Ruthie in 6th grade.  Then I got to know Sarah in college, Shelley through Sarah, Paige through Sarah and a class, Mendy through student teaching, Joi through work and Jeannie through student teaching. 
Each of them are absolutely beautiful individuals with much to offer the world.  We all have our own talents, weaknesses, strengths, likes, men struggles and triumphs.  We have all been the center of attention at one point and the outsider at another.  We've struggled through births, deaths, sickness, health, work problems, men problems, family problems, body transformations, weird geeky moments, semi-breakdowns, parent and grandparent illness, hurt feelings, frustration, you name it you got it.  We have celebrated just as many moments: weddings, boyfriends, degrees, successes, random every day happiness and love.  We are starting to get to the age where our spirits are still young and vibrant and our bodies are not feeling it so much anymore.   We are now sometimes the caregivers to our parents and grandparents as we watch them begin to fail.
We have overcome a lot. We still have a lot to offer. We are AWESOME. 
I look forward to and need circle time, currently known as ovaltine.  Our sayings are many, and only we could ever begin to understand all of them.  I can be myself around them if I'm looking good and feeling great, or if I've just rolled out of bed and smell like morning breath and sweat. 
I love these girls.  Even when I haven't talked to one or more of them in a while, when we get together the next time, the conversation just picks up where it left off.  Here's to us girls.  I know there are many more pictures, and there are many more to come.  I'll keep adding to this slide show through the years.