Girlfriends Rock

First of all let me say thanks to the amazing women over at Peanut Butter on the Keyboard for allowing me the opportunity to Guest Post today - y'all head over there and check it out. 

Next up let me say how fun yesterday was.  One of my most precious friends is turning 40 and I had the wonderful opportunity to bring some of her friends together for lunch.  I posted a few pics of the fun outing yesterday, but I have to say what an incredible time it was to gather all these busy working women together to celebrate.  That is ultimately what I want this blog to be about and why I'm so excited about the new website launching next month.  It will really give us busy working women a way to connect when we can't sneak away from the office for an hour and a half lunch.  Let's just recreate it in cyberspace here until we can connect in person again, which is always the best way to connect. 

This is my best friend in the wide world - don't know what I would do without her.  What a treat to get to see her at a party on Saturday and then again at this lunch.  We've been through all sorts of crazy stuff together and I can't imagine getting through the nuttiness of life without her.  She's like the sister I never had. 

This is the birthday girl.  We've been friends for nearly a decade and in 2003 we took a trip to Italy together.  The last guy I kissed before I met Bray was on my last night on that Italy trip with Julie.  We've been to each other's weddings, we've been to funerals, we've been to baby showers, and clearly we've been across the ocean.  She has to brush her teeth all the time and I can't stand to hear people brush their teeth - it was a funny trip.  We both get grumpy when we're hungry.  Her son and my kids are a month apart.  We're both "hunting widows" this season.  What a darling friend. 

I interviewed several women for my book yesterday and, as they shared their tips on the best leadership skills, one woman's piece of advice really struck me.  She said the leadership quality she admired most was the ability to really listen.  To sit still and listen to what the other person has to say.  Don't sit there thinking of your witty reply or persuasive rebuttal while they're still talking.  Take in what they have to say.  I loved this.  I sat at a table full of those kinds of listeners yesterday. What a rare gift. 

I also can't finish today's post without mentioning we went to take our annual pumpkin patch pictures yesterday morning.  Y'all it is 85 degrees in Texas and we were in sweaters to pretend we actually lived somewhere in October where pumpkin patches required sweaters.  We do this every October to capture how the kids grow.  Before the photographer arrived, I snapped a couple of iPhone shots of the kids and when I said I was going to get a few "shots," the baby ask me what we were shooting?  He was very concerned there would be guns involved.  Clearly his father is a hunter. 

 What a gift yesterday was.  I'm so thankful.