#theonewithallthehashtags...

Have you ever had just one of those perfect weekends filled with so much goodness and fun that you think you may be dreaming? Well, that is exactly how my weekend was spent - surrounded by and filled with the goodness of great people. MY people. My village. 

Cindy and I bid on a beach house ages ago at a fundraiser at the kids' school. And by ages, I really do mean that it's been over 18 months. Our schedules, hubbies schedules, and kids schedules never matched up so we decided to just bring our friends and make it a girls' weekend.

BEST.decision.EVER. 

We all arrived on Friday evening and settled in with an evening made up of homemade lasagna, salad and copious adequate amounts of wine. 

And this picture basically describes the 48 hours perfectly.

Friends. Food. Fun. All surrounded by fits of laughter. 

We managed to stay up past the hour of 10pm and all sleep past the hour of 7am. This is a miracle people. Five moms sleeping past 7am? Yes. A miracle. So we celebrated with a dance party. And more food. And maybe some wine - but the fruity kind so it was really more like juice.

(Because we are all about healthy choices).

(I should also tell you that I think we all changed from one set of comfortable clothes into a different set of pjs to spend the afternoon). 

(This blog doesn't work if it isn't filled with honesty). 

We helped Jenna with some research for her thesis by being a focus group and I don't know that any of us could have anticipated what would happen next. We all sat down and for hours talked about being wives and moms and friends. We cried until we laughed and laughed because we cried. And a part of me wishes it was captured on film - it was the perfect "Steel Magnolias" afternoon, but a bigger part of me is glad that those moments are hidden in those walls of "Port Rayburn" and held deeply within my heart. 

In the middle of the sobbing, I sent a text to Ryan about how grateful I was for this time with my friends and joked about how different a "man weekend" would be. He concurred that his would have been filled with less tears and more beers. 

(Because of course). 

In between all the fun of sobbing (and that is without sarcasm, seriously a good cry is amazing) and getting ready for our evening out in Ingleside, TX; Jenna and Krista went for a walk and then came running back inside because they heard gunshots from this house across the channel. 

We then did a quick game I like to call "What would we do if we got locked inside?"

The answer may have included something about drinking all the wine and eating the healthy food we brought like white donuts and pringles. 

So after snacking, short naps, silly dancing and more snacking, we did what all girls do when they get together... MAKEOVERS! 

(Feminists everywhere are thrilled.)

We clean up nice, don't we? 

  

Then we drove the 7 mile trek into town for an evening that no one in the great city of Ingleside could have expected. (We totally expected it.) Blackbeard's was recommended to us by the homeowner so Blackbeard's it was. Good food, cheap wine, and live music. 

And we were feeling it. The music was calling our name. Adrien's voice was enchanting and we had to get on that stage. Also known as the front part of the restaurant. 

He loved us. 

He wouldn't let us leave. We sang a total of three songs.
Everyone was mesmerized by our ability to sing in the exact opposite pitch and tone that the song was written. 

 (Did I mention the wine?)

Then Jenna decided that she needed a duet. And he picked a song that she didn't know. So she just sat and tried to read his lips which also looked like she was being pulled in by his magical talent for karaoke like performances. 

(Don't worry, Jason, she's all yours). 

We shut the place down and headed home.

(In the 7 minute drive home, we created a group text with our hubbies to give them an update on our night and make them jealous over Adrien. We used more hashtags than necessary for a group of people that were conversing via text and not twitter. (Because when isn't a hashtag necessary). My favorite part is that the five of us were all in the same car). 

(Big shout out to Krista for the photo taking and driving). 

(and not texting).

Home sweet home in Port Rayburn where it was 60 degrees cooler than any place surrounded by water should be and also raining outside. 

But we didn't care, because, we had more dance partying to do. 

Y'all we were really into Bobby McGee. Clearly.

And if you were worried about our iphones being loud enough for us to dance to, we appreciate your concern. But we used a little trick that I like to call... thank the lord we drink so much water. 

(And if y'all doubt whether or not this really works... try it. It's amazing!)

And as the last song played and we crashed for the night... my whole being was filled with such gratefulness for my friends. I have been given such a gift of friendship in my life. I mean, who meets their best-friend in the 1st grade? No one. And then who gets to keep meeting people that really do lift you up, make you better, challenge you, encourage you, and support you? No one. No one should be given that many blessings. 

But I have been. I am surrounded by such an incredible group of creatures. The best friends, the best moms, the best wives, the best hearts. They are my village. They do life with me. They make me laugh out loud. They let me scream. And cuss. And cry. They call me out. They offer help. 

And most of all...they lift me up.

#CK4life