SDBB - GNO - 25 years

Here's to good women,
may we know them,

may we be them,

may we raise them.

Twenty five years ago a group of young women who had been high school friends ten years earlier got together for dinner to celebrate the season and to catch up on each others lives. That evening they decided to start meeting each month for dinner and a girl's night out group was born. Friends of friends joined the group too. And now, twenty five years later the group is still going strong. Tonight we clinked our glasses together toasting friendship and holiday joy.

Together we've rejoiced when babies were born, we've celebrated marriages, new jobs, promotions, new homes, and new romances. We've shared tears and grieved together for the loss of parents. Three of the group are brave breast cancer survivors. And two members have moved away to other parts of Missouri but return frequently to join the group.

The year we all turned 40 each person took a turn planning a special event in honor of another person during the month of their birthday. What a fun year that was! There was a laser tag outing, a gym was rented and we played volleyball and ate pizza, we went back to our old high for the homecoming football game, a limo was rented that took everyone out for an evening of bowling, and one evening was spent dancing at a club.

The year we turned 50 a traveling package was mailed from person to person for their birthday. The package included a journal, a troll, a princess crown and a disposable camera. There were instructions to memorialize your 50th birthday with a picture taken on the camera with the troll and wearing the crown, create a journal entry, and add an item to the package that represented who you were at 50 and mail the package to the next birthday celebrant, oh and to keep it a secret. Once everyone had reached their 50th milestone we met for dinner and passed the contents of the package around the table. There was lots of laughter and a few tears too as the contents were shared.

A cruise has been suggested to celebrate our 60th birthdays!

Ladies, here's to you and the next 25 years!