This weekend felt like it deserved a permanent place on my 50 by 50 list — not because of where we went, but because of who I shared it with.

It had been 10 years — ten whole years — since my “home girls” had all been in the same place at the same time. The last time we gathered like this, we were celebrating turning 40. Back then, 50 felt far away. And yet here we are, on the doorstep of it, a little older, a little wiser, and somehow exactly the same at heart.

We arrived at our Cape May Airbnb on Friday, four of us at first, and within seconds it was like we were kids again. There were squeals, hugs, and that giddy, can’t-stop-smiling kind of energy that only comes from being with people who have known you for nearly 40 years. The kind of friends who don’t just know your story — they lived it with you.

We spent the afternoon the best way possible: gathered around food, catching up on life, filling in the gaps of the last decade, and laughing until we cried. Real, belly-deep laughter — the kind you don’t realize you’ve been missing until it comes rushing back. And while our hearts were so full being together again, we definitely felt that one missing piece — TJ. She couldn’t make it this weekend, and we missed her so much.

Saturday took us into Cape May, where we wandered through shops, took all the cheesy photos, and embraced every bit of the moment. Lunch at The Ugly Mug (which Rachel proudly calls “a Cape May institution”) was filled with more laughter, more stories, and that easy rhythm we fall back into without even trying.

When Jen joined us later that afternoon, the squeals started all over again — because apparently, we will always be those girls.

Back at the house, we did something that might end up being one of my favorite traditions: a “favorite things” exchange. Each of us brought small things we love — simple, thoughtful pieces of our everyday lives — and shared them with each other. It was such a perfect reflection of who we are now, layered on top of who we’ve always been. I left with a bag full of fun, meaningful little treasures… but more than that, I left with a full heart.

The rest of the day slipped into porch chats, old stories, new memories, and even more of those “you had to be there” moments — the kind of laughter and inside jokes I couldn’t possibly capture here, and honestly, no one else would fully understand anyway.

That night, we went to dinner at The Lobster House, where the laughter somehow kept going, and ended the evening in the hot tub — soaking, talking, and giggling like no time had passed at all.

Sunday morning came too quickly. None of us were ready to leave our little “home girls” bubble. We stretched it out as long as we could — one more breakfast, a few more laughs, a few tighter hugs. And then, just like that, it was time to pack up and say goodbye… with one important promise: it will not be another 10 years.

And then, just when the weekend should have been over, it gave me one last little gift. On the drive home, I pulled over for gas at a rest stop in Delaware — and there was Kerry, pulling in right behind me. Out of all the places… there we were again. It felt like the perfect little bookend to a weekend none of us wanted to end.

If this weekend reminded me of anything, it’s this — true friendship doesn’t fade with time or distance. It waits. It holds steady. And when you find your way back to each other, you don’t start over… you simply pick up where you left off.

This belongs on my 50 by 50 bucket list not just as a trip, but as a reminder:
Make the time.
Take the trip.
Hold your people close.

Because these are the moments that matter most.