When did these girls become women?

As I sat searching a friend's baby registry with my own daughter asleep on my chest I began to wonder where the years have gone. Sometimes I feel as though the fast forward button to my life is jammed making the weeks, months and years speed by at a surprising rate. Online networking has allowed me to keep informed on many old friends' lives, even if we haven't really kept in touch, and do you know what I've found? We've all grown up. Our personalities and interests may be the same as they were ten years ago, but life experiences and developing roles have stretched us from girls and shaped us into women.

Tomorrow I will be attending a friend's baby shower with another friend who is pregnant and another friend who has a one year old son. When and how did that happen? Adults with responsibilities? Children? A few of my friends are teachers, some business women,world travelers, college graduates,devoted academics, mothers, and wives. Some of these women I have known since we were girls and others helped me transition from girl to woman, but all are dear to me. So this is for all of you ladies, whether you are family, whether I grew up with you, danced with you, roomed with you, explored China with you, served a mission with you, was in a class with you, have regular play dates with you, whether I married into your family or you married into mine: thank you! Thank you for the influence that you have had on my life. Thank you for the life experiences that we've shared together. Thank you for the lessons that you've taught me whether or not you were aware of them. Thank you for showing me that growing up isn't so scary and is definitely not so bad. And thank you for loving me despite my flaws. You are the women that I hope my little girl grows up to be like. You are the friends that I hope to one day deserve.

Love,

Sausha