I spent this weekend in Memphis hanging out with my best friend, Ashley.
I have to admit, while I was excited to see her and her husband and spend some time exploring the city for a girls weekend, I was just not in the mood. I’ve been very busy and tired and I just wanted to have a weekend at home to do nothing. But I knew I would have fun once I was there. And boy did I!
Before I get into recapping the weekend though, let me just say that I’ve decided I will never fly standby again. (Sorry Memaw and Pepaw. I appreciate it, but I’m not sure it’s worth it anymore). My grandpa (Pepaw) is a retired Delta pilot so I can get cheap plane tickets through his Buddy Passes. But I have to fly standby which means I wait around and only get on a flight if there is an open seat. I should have learned after Orlando last year…
If I myself were a Delta employee, it probably would be worth it because I would be toward the beginning of the list every time. But since I’m the granddaughter (which, to them, is no different than a friend or “buddy”) of a retired pilot, I’m always close to the end of the list.
Anyway, all this to say, I had to fly through Laguardia to get to Memphis Thursday night which was a pain. And while coming home on Sunday, I didn’t get on a flight at all. I had to spend another night and leave first thing Monday morning. Luckily, Ashley and Taylor are the best people on the planet. They let me stay with them another night and took me to the airport at 5 AM. (I know I still owe you! I promise I will never forget this). I also had to beg my boss to let me make up hours missed Monday morning. He was cool about it though.
Ok I wrote more about that than I meant to… Anyway, all this to say, IT WAS STILL WORTH IT! We had two full days with nothing in particular planned. On Friday, she took me to a fun breakfast place, Another Broken Egg. Then we went out shopping in their new neighborhood. We had to go to Pyro’s for dinner and Muddy’s for dessert, of course!
Saturday was more of a tourist day. We had breakfast at Gibson’s. Then we explored the Bass Pro Shop in the pyramid and I have to say it was certainly a sight to be seen. We had lunch at BooYa’s and then went to the grand opening of H&M at a mall close to them and they had a legit DJ and check out lines out the door. We didn’t buy anything, but it was such a fun atmosphere.
Sunday, we went to church. I’m always amazed at how friendly the Lord’s church is and how small the world really is within the church. Pretty much anywhere you go, you’ll find people you have connections too. And I KNOW you’ll find friendly people who are genuinely excited to have you visit. We had lunch with Ashley’s family who always treats me like part of the family. And then they took to the airport, only to come back and get me later.
In the evenings we watched chick-flicks and FRIENDS and just hung out together. The whole weekend was so refreshing, you know? Once you’re out of college (and married), these girls’ weekends don’t happen much with anyone, much less with a long distance best friend. You have to make them happen.
Ashley and I are are so much alike and we connect on so many levels. Hanging out with her is like a breath of fresh air. It’s so important to have these kinds of relationships. You know, the kind where the other person just knows you and gets you. It’s important to have that with your husband, but for me it’s also important to have that with girlfriends.
Moving out of the college atmosphere was a really tough transition for me. I no longer had close friends close in proximity. In college I lived in the same room/apartment or just down the hall from all of my closest girl friends. We all knew everything about each other and had that indescribable bond. But when we moved away, keeping that bond got a lot more difficult. It takes effort, money, patience, and technology to keep in touch, but it’s so worth it!
Do you keep in touch with your college girl friends? When was the last time you saw them? Or video chatted with the? Do you know the kind of bond I’m talking about?
Thanks for reading!
