My Poker Girls

So tonight was the first weekend night in a while that I've actually had something fun to do. My friend, L, from Poker night had free tickets to the opening of a new Art Museum in Colorado Springs. The exhibit on display was centered around American music with photographs by Annie Leibovitz of famous musicians. It was very cool and the atmosphere was a little bit "Sex in the City." After walking through the exhibit, we were led into a bar area where we were served wine (for free!) and got to listen to a live jazz/blues band. I was so glad that I went. Most of our poker night group was there and we were all able to meet up for dinner beforehand. It was the perfect evening.

While we were at the Art Museum, I was talking to a friend's husbands about different places that we would consider moving if we decide to leave the Army next year. He asked me if I was okay with that -- would I be willing to leave a job that I really like? I answered yes, because I guess I always knew our stay here would be temporary. It is funny how you move to a place and have a certain mindset about it. When I moved here, I always knew that it wouldn't be forever, and so I think I've gone into everything a little bit hesitant -- my job, my friendships, getting involved in the community. My "poker night" girlfriends have always been wonderful, but I guess I always thought somehow they would be "temporary" friends, just like my house was temporary, my job is temporary, etc. But lately, I've come to realize that I really love these women. They are much more than just the girls I see once a week.

We started getting together in October of 2003 to watch "The Bachelor" every week. A different person would host each week and make a scruptious dinner for everyone. Then, we would watch the newest epsode together -- we called it our "Bachelorette Night." We made a game out of it and started voting on which girls we thought the bachelor would keep. We all brought small gifts -- like a bottle of nail polish, last week's People magazine, or a Starbuck's gift card. The person who guessed the most women correctly received all of the gifts at the end. It always helped to make things exciting! After several seasons of "The Bachelor" we just couldn't take it anymore. (It was starting to get a little bit cheesy!) So we decided to play poker instead -- Texas Hold 'Em. We still bring our little gifts and play for those instead of money. And we're totally noncompetitive -- clapping and cheering whenever someone wins a hand. Right now Tuesday nights are the best night of the week for me.

These women have supported and encouraged me through so much -- a new marraige, 2 deployments, my first years teaching, all of the times I feel "fat," -- basically anything that is going on in my life. I am so thankful for their friendships and hope that we all can keep in touch long after my time in Colorado Springs comes to an end. Who would have ever thought the Lord would bless me so much through poker?