i moved to northwest arkansas from kansas city over three years ago. the city (and suburban area) that i had called home for most of my life. and when i left, i moved away from a support system that people dream of.
{we are the lucky ones! right friends?!}
and many, many, many members of that family were women. women i came into myself with. women who supported me and loved me as i hit all the bumps in the road. women i celebrated with- the big things, the little things, and all the things in between. i didn’t have to move away to know what i had. it was what we all shared that made me able to leave. to take the step- the leap. these women will forever be my girls.

when i first arrived here i didn’t have a job and i wasn’t looking for one right away, besides i had three months to pull off a bad ass DIY wedding. i was back and forth a lot that summer, with dress fittings and sheet ripping parties. and our friends came to visit us a lot, even into the winter. i didn’t need new friends.

but when awesome women present themselves, you can’t say no. or perhaps i should say, I can’t say no.
and present themselves they did. mostly in the form of coworkers, two of which the universe sat right in my path and shoved me into.

this week i sat in a women’s business conference, that i maybe never would have been at without my sarah, and listened to a new lovely acquaintance speak to a packed room about not being a yes girl in life. i loved her presentation and found so many nuggets of wisdom. but there was one that brought tears to my eyes.

one that, for me had nothing to do with business.

and i was overcome with gratitude.

in that moment so many people rushed to my mind…
friends-old and new. found, discovered and assigned. here, there and everywhere.

then i came home and i sent an email to my sweet gratitude partner, whom i admire and respect greatly and then logged into a Facebook group full of women that sincerely gives a shit if i eat my veggies and clean my kitchen.

i am blessed. but it is not without work.

“Friendship takes time and energy if it’s going to work. You can luck into something great, but it doesn’t last if you don’t give it proper appreciation. Friendship can be so comfortable, but nurture it-don’t take it for granted.”- Betty White

if someone is willing to work with you on it, it is the most precious gift.

so to the women in my life…my mother, my sister, my cousins, my aunts, my sisterfriends, my high school girls, my college pals, my work family, my new friends, my blog girls and every woman who has lent a smile along the way….thank you. thank you for loving me, supporting me, lifting me up, inspiring me, offering opportunities to me, making me laugh, making me cry, making me think and all the millions of other things you have done and/or will do for me.

not all of us are this lucky…or as willing to work for it.