How the Girlz Work (Sarah)

Ok, my turn. I figured I'd give my two cents on the subject:

I will start with my sister, Bex, because I have known her the longest. You know, a sister relationship can be a tricky thing. We had two very different types of families to look at for examples, the Bump's and G-ma's. And the two couldn't be more different if they tried. Our father's side was always bickering with each other and my mom's side was as close and 6 siblings with some 17-18 (I lost count) children could be.

Growing up, I would categorize the Bex and I as having a very typical sisterhood. Best friends and worst enemies. Often in the same day. Seriously. Our favorite quote was "You were unavailable for consultation" (Pretty Woman) when one of us discovered we had *borrowed* something of the other's. We grew closer as we got older, but I think the event that sealed our relationship as *best friends forever no matter what* was the death our grandfather, the Bump's dad. This single event sent that entire side of the family into fighting and bitter bickering like you would not believe. It was then that Bex, Topher and I decided that NO MATTER WHAT, we would NEVER treat each other like that. And, as Lu says, the rest is history.

Then there is Lulu. Like she said, we met when I lived right next door to where she still lives. Emerson was going through Hell with his heart, then only 4 weeks old, and well, suffice it to say, a friend was the perfect remedy to those long, stressful, hurting days. And yes, when he came home, he spent many hours resting on Lulu's belly (with little Lea inside) while I struggled as a new mom.

Lulu is the kindest soul I know. She gets it from her mother (and father, but her mother mostly). What Lulu failed to mention is that part of what bonded us was that her parents had lost a son to leukemia long before I had met her. She knew what it was like to go through such a struggle as we were going through with Emerson. Much like my family adopted her, her's adopted me. For she and her mother truly knew what I was going through. (Fucking tears!)
And through surgeries, divorces, rehabs, rough marriages, parenting, barn burnings, etc, we have been here for each other.

Tink is our latest edition. Lulu sucked her into our fold and before she knew what hit her, she was one of us. The first time I met Tink was at Itchy's football game where Lea was cheerleading. All I really remember from that night is two things: 1. that she laughed a lot which I instantly loved and 2. she was just as sarcastic and loud mouthed as me. It was kind of like finding a soul mate, one with a really great cussing vocabulary.

Tink lets you in slowly, she doesn't trust easily and she rarely shares what she is *feeling*. But once you get her going, you kind of wish she'd just calm down. (Just kidding, Tink.) We haven't gone through *years* together, but she's been with me through my divorce and now we are with her through hers. And nothing seals women together like men-hating. Right, y'all?

And that, my friends, is how the Girlz work in my words.