January 26 & 27 - Wicked Weekend

So I got on a 6am flight with a stop in Las Vegas to beat my San Francisco girls to LA. Three terminals later without a cell phone, we were united. :) We took a group picture but it didn't turn out because of the intense sunlight behind us. Southern California is great, isn't it?

Sixteen girls, four each, please meet Renaissance Hotel's room 1236. Kelti, Brittany, Erin, & Tara.We were located right off Hollywood Blvd. I love Sandra Bullock, enough to get on the ground for her picture.

We took taxi's to the Grove Shopping Center and got MAC makeovers Hollywood style.

Thinking we could catch a taxi on this main street, our room's four girls decided to start walking. Bad decision. We walked for a dozen blocks without seeing any taxis. We ending up calling one from a Starbucks. After finally catching one, we then got caught in traffic. We were accruing charges and running out of money, so we decided to get out and book it back to the hotel just in time for it to start raining. So after the dozen initial blocks and then running four more in the rain, needless to say we were the last group ready for dinner.

We ate at this little italian restaurant next to the Kodak theaters. Great food. But after another time misjudgment, we had to run for the shuttle to Wicked in the rain yet again this time in heels.

We did make it and you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get sixteen girls together for a photo. At the beginning of the show, I had my camera confiscated and I didn't even get a good picture first.

Would you believe me if I told you that we had to run to the shuttle in the rain again to catch it back to the hotel? Well you should.

Full of energy after the incredible play, we snatched dessert at Johnny Rockets. We drew a lot of attention to ourselves (especially from the cook that was taking pictures of us on his camera phone). Our waiter was great and gave us hats and took our picture. But we lost it after a couple of glasses of water met Sandi's lap. It was so great.

We returned to have a wrestling match and talent show in 1236. Around 2am, I think, we dispersed to our own rooms just in time for hotel security to show up after several noise complaints. Oops.

Katie Shelley was the angel that pulled this all together. The hotel was beautiful, the play was Incredible, the company irreplaceable.

This is the only picture that we got with all sixteen of us. It was calculated that 15 husbands, 21 children, and 1 sick friend were left behind for this 24 hour getaway. It was so worth it and hope that this just might be the first of many after everyone goes their separate ways in June. I love that even though we seem to have less and less in common, I felt like just one of the girls.

May I just add my big Thank You and express my love for not just these girls but all my girls of San Francisco (you know who you are). Tony Bennett said, "I left my heart in San Francisco". This is so true for me. I am so inspired by those beautiful accomplished women that touched my life. I was truly carried by their example and love as I went through a very painful growing time in my life. I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you. I can't believe that it has already been a year. Time goes by so fast and I cherish every moment we shared together. I pray that it won't be our last.