Girlfriends are gifts...

My very good friend, Carolyn, just gave me the above print for our new place in NYC. It is the perfect reminder for me, especially these days. Life {midlife} is NUTS! Marriage, kids, aging parents, getting ready to rent the house for a few weeks of track, setting up the apartment to be our home-away-from-home, worrying about the oil spill, the financial crisis, walking the dog, the heat, new schools for the girls {are they reading enough? are their math skills sharp enough for the competitive nature of NYC? Are they (am I) ready for all of that???}. Plus providing healthy meals, working out, and maintaining a spiritual life is enough to send the most sane person over the edge! I don't even have a full-time job outside the house, and only have 3 kids (I have sisters with as many as 8). So how do we stay sane? By keeping calm and girlfriends. My girlfriends, which include my sisters, are the ones I turn to especially during these times when I am feeling frightened and unsure of myself. They listen. They let me vent, whine, laugh, cry - whatever is needed at that moment. They share a good book, a cup of coffee, a run, or a much needed glass of wine by the end of the day. They make me see the humor and beauty in life and encourage me to take chances. They point out how precious our kids are, how important raising them is even if we may not feel like we are doing it well. So, THANK YOU to all my friends for keeping me calm and allowing me to carry on!