Swinging on Birches

I just didn't think it would be this hard. I thought I'd have years to prepare for these moments...graduations, going to college, moving away, getting married. I never realized these sorts of moments would come so quickly. I was watching Wardie at the playground recently and he was trying to talk and play with some bigger kids. The kids were totally ignoring him. They weren't being mean, they just had their own agendas, their own plans. And he wasn't in them. And my mama heart hurt for him. I mean, come ON!? Why weren't those kids noticing him? He was just trying to play! And, why didn't they think he was the cutest child on the planet? And, didn't their parents teach them manners and how to be kind to younger and smaller kids!? I mean, look at this face... How could someone not  want to hang out with that kid!? But, I resisted the temptation to jump in and reassure him. And, after trying again and getting the same response from the bigg...

So, I read this book. And I loved it.   Not only am I particularly interested in crafty sorts of things, but the story of friends from so many walks of life all in different situations coming together was just really refreshing to read about. And, of course, I began to think about my own girlfriends. They're awesome.  And busy.  And I'm busy.  So, I don't see them near as often as I want to as finding the perfect date and time sometimes requires three trillion emails or texts just to be cancelled due to a.sick child, b.exhaustion, c.much needed family time or d.all of the above. And then I read this book. And the solution occurred to me--why don't I stop complaining about how I miss my girlfriends and life is just too crazy and DO something about it!?   So, I did.  I invited ladies that I knew well and just wanted to see a bunch more and those that I don't know hardly at all, but secretly stalk on facebook  would like to for ...