2. Meet up with my great friends I made while prego with Sam

One of the best decisions I made when pregnant with Sam was to join pregnancyweekly.com.  Yes, they sent helpful emails on all kinds of fascinating topics – morning sickness, sore boobs, weight gain, but they also housed a forum for women to ask questions and talk through their pregnancy.  Through that forum and subsequently (several) iterations of private boards, I have a group of 10+ women who offer support, open minds, and friendship on a daily basis, with an extended network of 35+ for advice (and the occasional bout of drama).  Our friendships have blossomed from online only to face-to-face meet ups, and after the husbands and relatives get over the fact that we all met online, most people think it’s pretty darn cool that we are as tight a group.

This year I was bound and determined to attend the meet up.  Jay planned on joining me (since we have friends in Minneapolis too) but bailed when he realized he’d be the only guy around.  So at 5 am on a Friday in September, Sam and I boarded a plane and headed north, joining five of my friends, nine kids, and one very patient husband.  You would think it would be awkward… Nope.  Not at all.

Lots of kids and almost four of the six moms...

Me and Sam, enjoying some "us" time...

Me, Patty, Kathy, Krystal, Mickey and Kim

(no bottles of alcohol were hurt during this picture)

There is no way I could do the weekend justice in a few sentences.  For most of it, you really just DID have to be there.  I can say that I came home with my cheeks hurting from laughing and smiling, a sad Sam (she missed her friends!), a pretty sweet trucker hat and a heavy heart knowing I wouldn’t see these amazing women for most likely at least a year.  

Sad or not, it was worth it.  And I know deep down Jay is jealous of my awesome hat.