Girls weekend!

Those 2 simple words bring about great anticipation. I think they even remind me of my college dorm life. Those were the days!

I'm fresh off of a “Girls Weekend” with the Inspired Winers, and it definitely lived up to my high expectations. Too much food, too much wine and way too much fun. While the time we spend together is always enjoyable, a trip like this offers much more than a good time. It’s our chance to connect without the pressure of everyday commitments horning in on our time together. 

We danced, walked and talked, cried and pried, cooked, and shook with laughter. But for me, the most amazing thing about this weekend was what it wasn’t. Why? Because it wasn’t all that different than any other time we spend together. The Winers have a bond created by our mutual desire to help a cause that is dear to each of us. This allows us to be more connected to each other even when we’re not together. The luxury of being away from the world for a couple of days, with only each other, simply enhances the bond. 

Tiffany (right) and me goofing off

We are committed to work together to raise money for PPMD and to help find a cure for Duchenne. It’s not noble; it’s necessary. But this is only a benefit of our relationship. What brings us together every month is who we do it for:  Allison, Bobby, Matthew, Owen and McKenzie. 

None of us can imagine what it must be like for Allison, living every day with the challenge of managing this Duchenne intruder in their lives. We're there for her, loving her and praying for her. But we can’t really know. And because we can’t know how she feels, we work harder to make change – with her and for her.

What we’ve created is amazing, and I wish the same for everyone reading this. “Find your friends, and the cause will find you.” That’s our tagline for a reason – there’s truth to it. The experience of being mutually committed to something bigger than you, beyond your job, your husband or your family, creates a bond like no other. Knowing that we are in it with Allison changes all of us and maybe makes her road a bit more bearable. 

Did I mention we sang? Oh did we sing, and badly! Allison is the queen of the repetitive one liner, “All the single ladies, all the single ladies…” We laughed a lot, opened the wine early in the afternoon, and watched movies with only our own interruptions. Then we had a fabulous dinner (after taming the grill) and left most of the dishes until the morning.

Alexis, Michelle, Tiffany, Andrea, Allison and lucky me!

At the end of my “Girls Weekend,” I am reminded again of how much I value the place these women have carved out of my life, individually and collectively. And of how much they give to me unconditionally. I remember that I know them all a little bit better now than I did when we left on Saturday. But then again, that’s what happens when The Winers gather. You should try it with “your girls” sometime – you’ll experience much the same.

After nearly 30 years in the broadcast industry, Lisa Fields is now in charge of a new venture; she runs Broadcast 1 Source, a small software company specializing in FCC compliance for broadcasters. However, nothing compares to the adventure of raising rambunctious, sweet and charming Louie, her eight-year-old son. Lisa’s home, “Camp Fields,” is always open to small children, stray dogs and wayward adults! With this motto, is there any doubt that Camp Fields is the official headquarters of Wednesday Night Wine and the Inspired Winers?