(This and all photos by Erin. Except the last, which was some random guy.)
I vowed to go the next year, and all the dear friends I’d missed meeting vowed there would be a next time. (And I made plans to meet some amazing California friends in the meantime.)
Next time, though, flights were $500 and I found myself (surprise!) nearly six months pregnant.
And so, plans for a different sort of trip was emerged. A Midwest adventure: a road trip to Indianapolis for a weekend of soul-quenching girl time.
We descended upon Indianapolis from every direction, Renee and Erin from the north, Nora from the west, EP from the south, and I from the east. I honestly can’t believe I hadn’t met these girls before- I feel like I’ve known them forever.
What do you tell people when you’re going to spend the weekend with ‘internet friends’? I told some it was a weekend trip with college friends and others, I confessed my dorky secret: I was spending the entire weekend, and sharing a bed, with Internet Friends. Yes, I had never met these people before. Yes, this is totally normal. No, they are not creepy 45-year-old men.
It wasn’t weird or awkward for one minute – it was perfect. It was comfortable and cozy and full of honest, open conversations. It was late night chats and little sleep. It was a spa day and early morning laughter. It was a surprise mini baby shower and singing "Soul Sister" in Renee's car. It was Erin's sweet accent and amazing cookies. It was Nora's incredible kindness and always knowing ever blogger that ever existed. It was Renee's bright spirit. It was Erin glowing and rubbing her baby bump.
It was a photo session with EP, an amazing photographer.
It was a fried food hangover.
It was a Barbie exhibit at the Children's Museum.
It was being with four girls, gorgeous inside and out.
Can we talk for a minute about food? Because the weekend was full of delicious food. Friday night was Mug n’ Bun with homemade freakin’ root beer and FUNNEL CAKE fries (how did I not know these existed?! And don’t even mention Burger King until you’ve had these puppies.) Saturday was Thai food (Massaman curry with tofu, Thai iced tea, and mango and sticky rice) with a dear college friend and her husband who happened to be in town from Atlanta for a wedding, then a topless bar for dinner. Okay, so maybe it was a tapas bar and maybe we got goat cheese, macaroni and cheese, and other deliciousness. We rounded out the weekend with an amazing brunch at Café Patachou, where I ate croissant French toast topped with sugared walnuts and maple syrup. Yes, French toast made from croissants. Yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds.
Ladies, thank you for a beautiful weekend.
I am lucky and my soul is smiling.
