Girls' Weekend

This weekend is Girls' Weekend.  Once a year my cousins, sisters and mom get together for a weekend of fun and reconnection.  There are thirteen of us if we all come.  This year we are going to Cindy's house in Rotterdam.  In past years we have gone to Speculator, Ballston Spa and Elizabethtown.  There will be twelve of us this year.  Marcia can't come because my brother has to work and she has Noah to take care of.  We will miss her, her wicked sense of humor and how she has seamlessly blended into our family.

Mostly I will miss Jodi.  We all will.  Jodi and her sister Becky were the original Girls' Weekend girls.  That first one was just Jodi and Becky, my mom and my sisters.  The next year Cindy and Dorie came and the year after that the Williams' sisters, Gail, Shari, Joanne and Susie came and then a few years ago Linda joined us. 

Jodi was our humorist... she was sooooooooooo funny and she could find humor in any situation.  Her  humor diffused potentially difficult situations,  made us laugh at ourselves, and made us look at everything in a different light.  She made us laugh until our stomachs and faces hurt!

One year I came late and Jodi had drank a lot of the wine.  And I gave her a hard time about not saving any for me.  She proceeded to dish it right back at me asking me if I wanted "cheese with that whine"... and that became a standard comment whenever anyone complained about anything.

Family meant everything to Jodi... she met each of us at the door with the best hug ever.  She didn't just give you a quick hug as a greeting... she held you and made you feel like you were so special to her and that she was delighted to see you... and you were and she was.  She told  that she was so glad to see you and that she had missed you and why didn't we do this more than once a year?  (She said that every year!)

Jodi died after surgery in 2007.  She was 50 years old.  Jodi's husband had thrown her a fabulous surprise birthday party and we were all there to help her celebrate.  It turned out that that was our goodbye. 

Jodi was one of the most loved people I have ever known.  And she received so much love because she gave so much love.  I think about her often but it is the days before, during and after Girls' Weekend that I really miss her.  We've had two Girls' Weekends without her and there is still a gigantic hole that she used to fill with love and laughter.  I love you Jodi and I miss you so much...