Individually we are teachers, homemakers, office managers, and bankers. We're wives, mothers, and grandmothers.  We're active in our churches, schools, and communities.  But together we're the Flip Flops, a name we just gave ourselves at our recent fiftieth birthday beach bash - a name that was chosen because of its symbolism of comfort, freedom, simplicity, and familiarity.  Most of us met in elementary school, some of us as far back as kindergarten.  We grew up in a small town so we knew each other and each other's families very well.  But after high school we disconnected somewhat during the years of college, weddings and babies.  Now that most of our children are grown, we're  becoming grandmothers, and our parents are growing older and dying, the idea of a reunion of sorts with not just ten other women but with ten women who are familiar, comfortable, and who will allow us and expect us to be who we really are was too fantastic to pass up!  Life for each of us has certainly not been without difficulty and heartache, but we're feeling strong, confident, and happy, and we're delighted to be fabulous and fifty!