Queen Bees Linkup
Here we are, April already and time to honor another special Queen Bee in my life. It seems fitting since she not only is a girl that makes me roll on the floor laughing but it happens to also be her birthday month. Not just any birthday either, the big 4-0!
Introducing my beautiful friend Johanna. We met almost 15 years ago (which means she was a ripe old 25! Which is somewhat ironic to me right at this moment as my 25 year old daughter actually works for Johanna & her husband. It is just so crazy how time flies! Just as I met my friend Holly, I met Johanna at a water aerobics class when I was pregnant with my third and she was expecting her first. There was an immediate gravitation to this girl who always had the very best stories to tell at ever class!
Our friendship bloomed over the next 15 years and one thing has never changed. When we are together I just want to soak her up like a sponge! She is vibrant and funny and oh my gosh her laugh when she starts cracking her own self up telling a story is to die for.
Entertain….this girl wrote the book. There has never been a time I’ve been in her home when I didn’t feel 100% at home and welcome. She has a way of creating the perfect ambiance for a girls night or a family outing and regardless of the number of people it always seems so effortless.
Johanna is the kind of friend I can see once a week, once a month or sometimes the time is much longer but it is always like picking up a good book just where you left off. I just can’t wait to hear what she has been up to and the excitement she will add telling of her adventures. Even when the adventure is dealing with a hormonal teen or a strong willed son, she always, always brings the story back around to create a huge amount of laughter.
We are much the same in a lot of ways. While we can both be compassionate and show empathy towards a situation, we do tend to lean a little heavy on the realism. I think that is probably why we have survived this friendship, I know her heart well.
Beautiful, treasured friends are hard to find and I feel blessed to have held on to this one for so long! Can hardly wait to celebrate this momentous birthday month!
Be sure to link up today if you have a Queen Bee in your life…..and read on to find how this little link up will be changing!
One of my most favorite favorite FAVORITE parts of this crazy blog world is reading all the stories that people share every.single.day.
Stories that make me laugh.
Stories that make me cry.
Stories that make me think.
Stories that give me courage.
Stories that make me think.
Stories that give me courage.
Stories that stay with me.
And I love discovering all of these stories through link-ups – clicking on catchy titles, awesome sneak peek pictures and wondering what took me so long to find them! This is exactly what Katyand I had hoped what Queen Bees would become… a place for us to connect others. But guess, what…
Haha! That’s right – we knew that this was a tough{er} topic to discuss – and if we’re honest (which we always are), it was TOUGH for us to come up with posts each month. NOT because we don’t have tons of women that we could gush about it – because we do – but it’s just not the easiest topic. But our goal still remains and we really want to create a space that welcomes you in like a friend. A place where you can share YOUR fashion tips, favorite recipes, funny stories, moments of hard and days of success.
No matter if you’re married, have kids, have grandkids, work in or outside the home – all of you are QUEEN BEES in our book. So, we are heading back to the drawing board, uncorking a bottle (or 2) of wine and we will be back next month – stay tuned and plan on being welcomed in. We can’t wait to read your stories!
I adore you and I mark this link up every month on my calendar. It is another place I can share the many women I meet along the journey of blogging. Thank you both for providing that. Your friend sounds like someone I would love to hang with.
Every month I miss this. Ugh
Michele you are one of the best supporters of the blogging community all the way around and we so appreciate you!!
Love the way you love others! Johanna sounds amazing and of course she is just as blessed to have a beautiful gem in her corner like YOU!!! Gorgeous ladies with gorgeous hearts!!
Just texted her yesterday begging to get together! I miss seeing her! Aqua Moms – I shudder to think where I would be on this journey without meeting you guys there!!!
I agree that this topic was tougher than most to write. The linkups I enjoy writing now are the ones with prompts. Just a thought.
I always love reading your Queen Bees link up posts, but it is a tough topic to write about. My real life doesn't really intersect with my blog life, so I always felt a little funny writing about people I know in the real world. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with! I think Laura is right…specific prompts make it a little easier to come up with a contribution. 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Tanya! I have some ideas.
Thanks for the feedback….we definitely have some ideas!
I asked her for some dates and will work on trying to schedule dinner!
Thanks Andrea! She really is amazing. Always so amazed at all the beautiful women in my "real" life and my blog life like you who inspire me every day!
We are working on something new…..stay tuned! And I'll just have to start overwhelming you with email!!
Looking forward to hearing what you have up your sleeve 🙂
She sounds like a jewel! I love hosting people in my home, so I think that complementing her hosting as "effortlessly" is the best thing you could say! I hope that's how my friends feel in my home!
Such a sweet story of friendship. I hope and pray that some of the friendships I made in my twenties are still going strong in another 8 years. She sounds wonderful.
Emily I love hosting too but am not sure that is how someone would describe me. I wish I wasn't so self conscious about my house and would just go with the flow and invite friends over more often.
Soon….hope you will join the fun!
She's pretty special. It's crazy because those girls I met in my early 30's have definitely been more life long friends.