Or at least have friends just like them.

I just returned from another wonderful girls' weekend in Asheville, N.C. with, whom else, my favorite girlfriends from Minnesota. What makes these trips so delightful is a combination of destination and company. We seem to pick locations that fit our personalities to a T.

Asheville was good to us...great food (tons of vegan options at every restaurant, a plethora of ice cream shops), great drinks (innovative even!), walkable, art centric, outdoorsy, and, most of all, friendly (in other words, our silly antics were well tolerated by the locals).

We rented a lovely, lovely home in the hills above downtown that was simply perfect...homey, lots of light, comfortable, a nice kitchen for me to whip up our breakfasts and a few dinners. Truly, this trip lived up to my expectations (even though we didn't get to go kayaking on the French Broad River due to the icky weather).

I know I say this all the time but I love these women. They each bring something different to the table in their friendships with me...and when we all get together it's like one big happy friend fest for me. I also find it thrilling to see them get along so well with each other. They could easily be best of friends without me. My heart warms when I see Steph and Heidi share a private joke or Nan and Steph laughing hysterically over something Heidi and I don't think is that funny.

Someone once asked me if I worried that these girls would develop friendships with each other stronger than the ones they had with me. I've never once worried about that--not because it couldn't happen but because I would be delighted by it. That would mean I have surrounded myself with women who make for good friends. And there's nothing worrisome about that!

Thank you, Ladies, for another grand time. Can't wait for next year's adventure.