Sisterchicks: Can't Live Without Them

"Sisterchick: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat."

Tonight I'm having dinner with the "chicks," a group of my friends who try to get together every couple of months. Getting to see them makes me think of all the great friends who fill my life. The chicks started when we were all in the singles group at a local church. Now, we've morphed into a group that includes single women, married ones and a couple with children. Through the years, we've shared the joys and tears that come with friendships that last. Although our ability to attend the chick gatherings is sometimes spotty, we're welcomed back without reproach or questions.

Although different duos and trios from the chicks have taken international trips, we've never managed to take a trip together with the whole group. When I read the Sisterchicks books by Robin Jones Gunn, they made me think of what it would be like if we ever manage to do a trip with all of us. Reading the Sisterchicks series is one of my guilty pleasures -- easy reading that is sometimes preachy, but well-intentioned and entertaining. I especially love the one that takes place in Venice because it reminds me of my trip there.

Besides my chicks, I'm also thankful for the friends I've made through my jobs. I've been lucky to have jobs at non-profits where the work I do makes a meaningful difference. But, I've also made incredible friends along the way. Sometimes, I think God led me to a couple of jobs just so I could meet these people!

Finally, I'm grateful for the friends I've made while slogging through my high school and college days. My friend, SF, especially waded through the drama of dating (and not dating), procrastinating and burning out during my college years. She loves me no matter what and has seen me through some of the best (coaching me through CJ's birth) and worst (heartbreak) times of my life.

At this time of year when I think about giving thanks, my friends top the list. Please share with me your favorite memory of a time with your sisterchicks or your favorite book about friends.