GIRLFRIENDS. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT THEM?

October.

So much to love about this month.

Cooler air.
Candy corn.
Football.
Boots.
Sweaters.
Pumpkin-flavored everything.
And, for the one Tennesee fan I know, orange.

I love everything in this list (minus the orange), but for the past couple of Octobers, my favorite thing has been a reunion with some incredible friends. We've known each other for what seems like forever, but in reality, we didn't turn into a party of five until the eighth or ninth grade. Of course when you're our age, that is forever.

Last year the destination was Atlanta. Here we are breaking from shopping and soaking in a little sun at Ponce City Market. It's an old factory/warehouse turned into an interesting industrial, kind of rustic retail destination.

Roof top garden.

Dining area.

This year our reunion will take us further South. Seafood, sand, and a lot of catching up are on the agenda.

When I think about this group of friends I feel so honored to know, there is an article that almost always pops in my mind. It is written by Kari Kampakis who is from my home town and entitled, "Why Women Need Their Girlfriends."  You may have come across Kari on the Internet. Her work has been featured all over the place: The Huffington Post, The TODAY Show, Yahoo! News and many others. After you read a few of her articles, you'll see why.

Kari Kampakis
via karikampakis.com

My friends and I have shared in all the good things, and, unfortunately, all the bad things Kari mentions in her article. I think my favorite line from her post is the advice she was once given, "Don't ever lose touch with your girlfriends, sweetheart. The older you get, the more you'll need them." That is definitely a time-worn truth.

If you have girlfriends you've lost touch with or don't see as often as you'd like, I would encourage you to set aside some time to reunite. It's rewarding to be with friends who really know you and still manage to love you unconditionally. :-)

Kathryn