Shame on me, but I never realized how many great friends I had until I sat down here at my computer to write them all a love letter. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and appreciate them more than you know but along with the besties there are the friends that support you along the way. There are the girls who see that you're in need of a shoulder and offer up a coffee date, there are the moms that know you are in a bind with childcare and have no one to help you so they offer a playdate. There are the friends that plainly see that you're being done wrong and offer to do anything they can to help you.
Never in my life did I think that I would be as lucky as I am with my friends.
Every girl out there knows what I'm talking about. Your girls, your crew. The girls that come through for you when life deals you a cruel hand.
The girls that are there with you when life is good for you. The girls that are there for you when people knock you down. The girls that are there for you when you start your life all over again.
I'm in love with my girls.
These are the girls I cook with, these are the girls I eat with, I enjoy wine with, these are the girls I laugh with, these are the girls I celebrate with, these are the girls I live with, these are the girls I road trip with, these are the girls that every other woman out there would be lucky enough to spend time with.
So I'm giving a huge shout out to Penny, Kim, Ali, Kim, My beloved cousin, Nadine, Jenny, Marcela, Michel, Zoe, Merin, Pam, Ros, Yetta, Kristina, Renee, Alice, Kelly, Anne, Lisa, Annette, Elizabeth, Deirdre, Kate, Ricardia, Katherine, Catherine, Sheila, Oksana, Cathleen, Heather, Sue, Lauren and Kristin.
I'm not prejudiced to the boys and I'm lucky enough to have some pretty cool guys around too: Jake, Ted, Mike, Murphy and Mario. You prove to me that there are still good guys out there!
So on this Thanksgiving, 2009, I'm most thankful for the wonderful and caring people in my life. The people that have shown me the meaning of true friendship but most of all, true love. Every single person I've named has given me a part of themselves and shown me that, even though we may doubt it sometimes, there are people out there that will come through for you, that will take time to listen, that will not only help you when you're down but make sure to lift you back up again. They have shown me that there are people out there that believe in you and through thick and thin they will pull through for you and love you and I'm proud to say that they are my friends.
I wanted to comment on your post about your girlfriends. Namely, Jennifer. She and I have been friends since kindergarten and we grew up down the street from each other. She is amazing and I love her. I'm telling you this because she is so thoughtful that she knows I love to cook and she bothered to take the time to tell me about your blog so I could look at great pictures of food! Jennifer and I experienced most of our "firsts" in life together . . everything from smoking and drinking to apartments and jobs and kids and parents with cancer. I love the spirit of Jennifer that loves shallow things like People magazine, celebrity gossip, lip gloss and mirrors . . but is also the fierce friend that slept on the floor by my bed the night my father died and recently when my mom passed away jumped in the car and drove eight hours to be by me as I stood at her casket . . on Easter weekend when she could have very well stayed in New York tending to her own life. You and I are two strangers but we share the blessing of her presence in our lives. Your post made me realize even more what I already knew . . Jennifer is indeed a wonderful friend to have. Have a blessed and peaceful holiday season! Happy Cooking! I'm off to make Danish Potato Soup from allrecipes.com. Love it.