I have a crush, well a girl crush, on my ex’s new girlfriend.

I have a girl crush on my ex’s new girlfriend. Why? In a word, she’s awesome. She’s got swagger, is totally gorgeous and is accomplished in her career. She’s that kind of girl who can be one of the guys while wearing killer platforms. She can talk football and NHL stats and probably even has her own fantasy football team. She actually KNOWS what all those football-y terms like pass interception and holding mean. I know, impressive.

When I first met her one day on the sidelines of a kiddie soccer game, I liked her so much that I actually had visions of the entire, crazy extended family vacationing together in Hawaii. You bring my ex husband, I’ll bring my boyfriend and we can all eat poi at a luau together and be besties! I know, a bit naive and idealistic but a girl can dream.

Maybe I should be jealous of her and especially of her close relationship with my daughter, but I’m not. Instead, I’m glad she’s there. I want to thank her for being an important part of my daughter’s life. I’m grateful that they go for walks in the rain and eat ice cream. That they go on shopping trips to Target to buy school supplies and have silly nicknames for each other. I’m happy that they text each other and share secret inside jokes.  I wish I could thank her for not treating my daughter like an unwanted guest in her Dad’s new relationship. Maybe after our divorce is final we can be friends. (Here’s my thoughts on my divorce which is ALMOST final.)

She’s an example for my daughter of a confident woman.

My only regret is that we can’t be buddies. We could go and have margaritas and laugh about our crazy connection. Under any other circumstances, she’d probably be a friend. She’d be a blast to hang out with, maybe cruise the Nordstrom shoe department together.

I guess for now she’ll just have to remain my friend crush from afar. But if they do break up….one never knows.