Friends

Have you noticed how difficult it can be to make friends once you grow up? It might just be me but when I was a kid I made friends with other kids like it was nothing. We'd exchange names and sometimes ages and that was it. In seconds we were playing and laughing and enjoying our new friendship. In school we were all near the same age and going through similar things in life abound the same time and there was always at least a few other kids who had similar interests as me. It wasn't hard finding someone to talk to and hangout with. Life can be so different as a "adult".

my 30th bday with Becky & my sis

Becky

Where did you meet the people you consider to be your close friends? I used to have work friends but now I work from home and don't have any assistants. Other than my day care parents I don't see other adults. I've gotten pretty close to one of my day care families and I would consider them friends. They're great people and I love their kids like they were my own.  We have similar interests and are planning on camping with then this summer over Father's Day weekend but they are really busy and we don't see them much other than when they drop off and pick up their kids. Of course we are pretty busy too... between Jeremy's schedule, my schedule and workouts, ballet and karate our weekdays are pretty packed.

Danielle and her son

Danielle & with Laura

One of my all-time closest friends, Danielle, lives in Pennsylvania. We met in the fourth grade and were as close as silly little girls can get. Our school was a K-8 school so we stayed close till high school. Even then we were closer than most friends until around junior year (I think). That's when we drifted apart a little bit. After high school we started seeing each other a lot again and our friendship seemed to pick up where it left off. We continued that pattern or a few years. We would see and talk to each other frequently then our own lives would take center stage for a while and we would let go a little. However, if either of us needed the other, we knew all it took was a phone call. We have helped each other through some really tough times. Things are harder for her living on the east coast. I wish she and her family could just pack up and move back to Cali. The good news is, she's coming to visit next week! I'll finally get to meet her son and she's not going to believe how big my kids have gotten.

Bene with my family

In Paris with Bene

My other closest friend lives in France. We started writing to each other when we were teenagers in high school. Even though we have only met in person on four occasions we are very close. We met for the first time in 2007 when she came for a visit. She came back in 2009 when my husband and I were going through a very rocky patch in out marriage. In 2010 I was invited to France by her family to surprise her for her 30th birthday and then last year, in 2011, we met in New York. We still hand write letters to each other.

New Year's with my sis

sis-in-law

I'm close with a handful of family members that live here in town but it's not the same as friends. I don't even think I can describe it. I'm pretty close with my sister as well as with a once-removed-sister-in-law (is that how you describe it...) and my sister-in-law but they all feels more like family than friend.

Where do you all go to meet new people? One of my new year's resolutions was to meet a new friend. Why is it so hard??? Maybe I'm the one making it too hard. Maybe I'm expecting too much. Maybe I'm too picky. I want your opinions. I have made a list (I have thing for lists, have ya noticed?) of things I'm looking for in a friend. I want you to use the comment section for your comments. Revolutionary, I know :o)

[1] a generally happy person

I have my moody days but for the most part I'm a happy person and I laugh easily.  

[2] active or the desire to be active

 I like to workout, run, take classes at the gym, paddleboard, go for hikes, day trips to the coast, play in river and lake, etc. It  would be nice to do these things with a friend.

[3] family

It's not super important that this friend has a husband/wife and kids but my family is huge part of my life and it would be great if our families could be friends too.

[4] low drama

I'm not a drama seeking person. I have had more drama in my life than I ever wanted. Some people thrive on drama but I'm not one of them.

[5] real people

What I mean by that it someone who doesn't have it all together. Someone who can look at all the crape life throws at us and laugh about it then move on. Someone who has similar struggles as I do whether it be about money, spouses, kids, or just finding time to scrub the bathroom when everyone needs all of your attention all the time. 

I hope this makes sense. It does to me but my head can be a very scary place and not everyone can decipher what comes out of it.