I am thankful for friendships, old, new, near and far!
As November begins and we are preparing for Thanksgiving, I want to make a conscious effort to set time with my family and share what we are thankful for. Although I did not grow up celebrating Thanksgiving, it is a holiday I have come to love and look forward to. Celebrating with family and friends makes me realize how thankful I am for all the people gathered around the table as well as those who are far away.
As an Arizona transplant I had to leave my childhood friends behind a little over 15 year ago. Thanks to social media, it is easier than ever to keep in touch with our loved ones no matter how far away we are. Yes, sometimes it is bittersweet, as there is nothing I would love more than to be with them sharing these joyous moments in person, but at the same time, I am grateful I get to witness these moments via video or pictures. My childhood friends live in different cities (countries even), yet thankfully our friendship is still strong.
After 35 years of friendship, we still have a lot to share when we meet once a year. A night out is not enough to catch up on our lives but my heart is full after our beautiful, sometimes deeply honest conversations. We have so much history! We’ve been through everything, from breakups, to marriages, miscarriages, infertility, failed jobs, dream jobs, successful careers, births, everything! I have to thank these wonderful women for being with me through my highest highs and my lowest lows. I don’t know where I would be without their support, encouragement and love. They will be forever be my first friends, my dearest friends.
I am so grateful to still be a part of their lives!
I am also thankful for the friendships I have made along the way in my Motherhood journey. From the moms I met at prenatal yoga class to the moms I met at an amazing prenatal course for Jewish families: Jewish Baby University, these classes connected us to other couples that were experiencing parenthood at the same time. We bonded over birth stories and then joined music classes and swimming lessons with our babies. Our music class group was also instrumental in meeting another group of like-minded moms whom I share wonderful memories. These friendships have been essential in making my motherhood journey fun and they remind me that we are in this together. The good, the bad and the ugly. During sleepless nights, I remember texting or calling this group of friends if I had a question about breastfeeding, diapers, sleeping schedules, etc. These friends have been with me through thick and thin. When at one of our first outings, my baby had a blowout at the mall and I didn’t know where to begin to clean the mess; they did not hesitate to carry my messy baby so I could cleaning up the stroller and proceed to clean my baby. We have celebrated baby naming ceremonies, birthdays, shabbat dinners, holidays, you name it! I can’t imagine my life without this wonderful tribe. They are my support group and help me keep my sanity with meaningful and beautiful conversations, lots of laughter, and of course, wine! The best part about our friendship is our kids are great friends, too. They truly love each other like cousins. You are my Arizona family!
Lastly, I am so thankful for my new friends, who I found via my daughter. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing them for a little over a year, when my daughter started kindergarten, but I can only hope they will be in my life forever.
This wonderful group of moms has become a vital part of our lives. Our kids love hanging out on Fridays after school and sometimes our ice cream playdates end with dinner or sleepovers. We have found a wonderful community of friends at our daughter’s school and it’s made our lives so much richer. They have all truly become family and I am grateful for their new friendship.
All of these friendships in one way or the other, have surrounded my kids and our family with love and support. What my kids lack in the cousin department, they make up for with all these friends. If my children are as lucky as I have been, they will continue to nourish these relationships to have long-lasting friendships.
To all of my friends, near and far, I am one lucky girl to have you in my life. You have made my life meaningful and richer!
Thank you!