My different lives

I've been thinking about the different chapters in my life. I think it has to do with the upcoming Sex and the City movie and missing my besties. The different chapters in my life have certainly been interesting.

Sarasota

The things that represented my life most in Sarasota were my girlfriends, including my sister. Karin and I lived 1 mile apart and spent a lot of time together. We even would ride our bikes and meet in the middle (okay, we did that once, but I had a good time). Seeing my family, getting to know my sister as adults...I would never trade that time for anything.

Adolescents: I worked primarily with adolescents and often felt like I knew every teenager in Sarasota. I felt like I made a difference in what I did and really enjoyed the jobs that I had. And the people I worked with.

Champagne Thursday: Karin and I often celebrated a random day of the week with champagne.

Happy hour: Mary and I enjoyed many a happy hour at M&T's (martinis and tapas).

Geckos: Melissa and I had wings and beer every Thursday once we became friends. Ahhh Jordan. Such good times and such fattening foods. We'd often offset our badness by going to yoga ahead of time.

Yoga: Speaking of yoga...yoga at the Y with Mary followed by sushi at Pacific Rim.

Horsefeathers/Evies Tavern: Many a drunken night with Mary and Melissa and Karin and Bree and Holly and Tiffany and whoever else we ran in to.

Gators: Oh Gina...how many nights did we spend at Gators in Sarasota????

Siesta Key (Beach Club, SKOB, Speak Easy, Gilligans): Jane, Ty, Leanne, alcoholic Sally, Kate, Mary....I remember on Ty's birthday 2 things: Jane throwing up and then going home with the bouncer who had to clean up her vomit and Ty falling off the stool outside and landing in a puddle. lmao

Linksters: This was our go to spot because it was close and convenient. Jen, Audrey, Mary, Melissa, Karin, Heather...some great pics having some great drunk nights.

Minx: Ty, Jane, Mary, Casey, Robyn, Karin....love, love, love to dance especially with my girlfriends!

Okay, so the theme in Sarasota may be alcohol, but I was also single and in my 20's when I lived in Sarasota. There was always good food, good drinks, and good friends to hang out and many people to see and be seen by.
Spending time with your best girlfriends is the best way to spend your 20's. We also did things that didn't involve alcohol like the Harry Potter release party in Lakewood Ranch, many a Harry Potter movie, Sex and the City movie, First Fridays (Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota), the beach, getting ready to go out together at my house, MAC makeovers, shopping, Starbucks. I miss my Sarasota girlfriends every single day...the ones I mentioned and the ones I didn't. I felt like I knew everyone in Sarasota and there's a certain kind of thrill that comes from knowing that every time you go out somewhere you're going to run into someone you know.


Valdosta

Emily Browning saved my life in GA. I was so depressed and homesick when I first got there. Employed only part time as a contractor (so no office to go to) and stuck home a lot. Paul was great and did the best he could, but I needed some girlfriends! I went to a KD Alumnae event and talked to Emily for all of 3 seconds. She emailed me the next day (after I had also sent her a friend request on FB) and thus began a very special friendship. Every one I met in Valdosta was because of Emily--Brittany, Anne-Marie, Corey, BethAnn, Courtney, Erika. Our first girl time was a lunch and our first social outing as couples was meeting up for First Friday and a MetroOne young professionals event. Oh, and she invited me to join Bunco which is how I met everyone else! And developed a love of Bunco (I should have a Bunco party now). I also met people through Paul (cadre, cadets) whom I have grown to love dearly and think of like family, but Emily....she saved me. You know you have a special friendship with people when they drive through the night to come overnight for your wedding.

I know how our life in Valdosta would've been...raising our children with our friends babies, going to church, bbq with friends...life in small town America. Sometimes I wish we could go back to Valdosta (even though I initially hated that small town life). People in Valdosta are so nice and so genuine.

Boston

I'm not sure yet how are life in Boston is going to turn out. For sure it's been an adventure and I really enjoy the history of Boston and being near a large city. I don't enjoy the weight I've gained since we've lived here. I work with awesome, awesome people and have grown to love Air Force life (minus Paul's traveling) and we've met so many great people through the Air Force. I am really excited to see how many adventures we have over the next 8 to 10 years until Paul retires.

Life is a give and take. Sometimes there is joy and sometimes there is sorrow. But the people...oh the people you meet on your journey make your entire life worth living.