It's Ladies Night....what a night!

Last Thursday a friend of mine called to see if I wanted to go out to dinner on Friday. She and several other girls from my hometown get together once a month for dinner and a movie, or a play, or bowling, or you get the idea.
I had an unusually stressful week last week. So my first reaction was "Heck, no! I dont' want to go anywhere! I want to sit home in my pjs, watch Pretty Woman, and eat ice cream!" In other words, hide from the world and all the curve balls life keeps throwing me. So I politely declined the invitation.
But my friend, let's call her Lindsey. Mainly because that's the name her mama gave her! She and I have been friends since we were 12 years old. She knows me as well as I know myself. She has been there for me through thick and thin. We've fought and made up, laughed and cried together. She is my encourager in Christ. She holds me accountable. And she tells me the truth even when it hurts, even when I don't want to hear it. I love her like a sister. And she is none of those things if she isn't persistent! She would not take no for an answer.

I told her all about my bad week, and how I didn't feel like visiting with people. She said ok.

Then she called back.

I told her I didn't feel like getting all dressed up. She said she understood.

Then she called back.

I told her yet another thing had gone wrong, and how I hated to leave the kids. She said she knows how that goes. (she has two of her own).

Then she called back.

And I didn't answer!

But I called her back. After all, I was afraid she'd show up with all the other girls and drag me out to dinner in my pink footed pjs!

Britt had encouraged me to go out with them. I'm so blessed to have such wonderful Christian women as friends. And such a good husband! Britt knew I would feel much better if I would get out with them and forget about the stresses of life for awhile.

So when I got Lindsey on the phone I told her I was coming.

I am so glad I did!

We celebrated Lindsey (left) and Holli's birthdays

Me, Lindsey, Holli, Brandy H., and Brandy T.
(Kristi took the picture, and Emily wasn't there yet)

I can not remember the last time I smiled until my jaw hurt, or laughed until my stomach was sore!
We went to this great little Mexican place in my hometown. Of course it was so crowded! Every time we would take a picture, which was quite frequently, everyone would stare. Then one of my girlfriends would make some sarcastic comment about the staring, and we'd all get tickled. Thus creating more staring. It was a vicious cycle. Apparently it is unconventional for seven women to stand up in the middle of a restaurant and take the same picture with 7 different cameras. Who knew? Emily Post should have mentioned that.

This one is so blurry. But it's the only one I have of everyone.

I love these girls. It's so nice to be able to say anything, to show the real you, your real life (even the not-so-pretty parts) without being judged. I've known Lindsey, Holli, and Emily since 7th grade when we all went to Jr. High school. Brandy T. is my cousin, our moms are sisters. We grew up like sisters. I'm only 12 days older than she. So we were like twins. Brandy H. and I met at about 3 years old when we started taking dance class together. I met Kristi in 1st grade. We've been friends ever since!

Dinner was a blast! Chips, salsa, queso, Diet Coke, and good friends create the perfect recipe for forgetting life's little hiccups.

Until you run out of Diet Coke.

Lindsey and I both had finished off our sodas. Our glasses had been empty for several minutes. The two of us were moments away from curling into a fetal position on the floor from the withdrawal. We tried in vain to get our waiter's attention. We waved our arms like we were hailing a cab. We raised our hands like a child in school. Finally, Lindsey began slurping her drink loudly just as I was attempting to drain the last bit of soda from my own glass. The slurping caught me completely off guard, and I started to laugh. With soda still in my mouth, and soda in my trachea, I started choking. But I couldn't stop laughing. The more I coughed the more I laughed. I put my napkin over my nose and mouth and tried hard to stop laughing. I had this feeling that Diet Coke was about to expel out of either my mouth or my nose. So my dignity, and a mouthful of Coke was being held together by a single 2-ply, grease covered napkin. I tried to just hold my breath, knowing that if I spewed, I would never show my face in that restaurant again! Finally, by some miracle, I managed to contain myself. The only casualty of my severe respiratory distress was my mascara that smeared all over my face.

Instead of patting me on the back, or asking if I was ok, the other girls took pictures!

Lindsey was slurping so hard. Even in a crowded restaurant you could hear it!
But it didn't get us any Diet Coke!

We finally caught a bus boy, who looked to be around 13 years old, and asked him to get us another one. He quickly sent someone out with Diet Coke refills. And all was right with the world again.
After dinner, we decided to do something else. We had talked about putt putt, but it had started raining. Then someone mentioned bowling, but we were all pretty sure smoking is allowed in there, and Kristi is pregnant, so that was out. We hem-hawed around for awhile. It was 9:30, so I told them I needed to go on home.

Then Lindsey poured guilt all over my new dress.

So we headed to a cute little coffee shop for lattes and good conversation. And lots more laughter.

The left side of the table

Part of the right side of the table.

The other half. Kristi owns a spa, and is a massage therapist. She started massaging Emily's neck and back. Her sunglasses fell off her head, but she didn't mind! Lindsey was pointing at Emily's mouth and joking that she was drooling!

We sat in that coffee shop until the teenage boy that worked there came over at midnight to tell us they were closing. I could not believe it was so late! I had said I was going home at 9:30! I still had almost an hour drive home! But it was well worth dragging in the house after 1:30 AM and getting up early for a cousin's birthday party 2 hours away. I felt renewed after a night of Mexican food, coffee, and uncontrolled laughter.

I even managed to wash out the guilt Lindsey poured on my new dress. But I had to wash it twice!