PINE MOUNTAIN, Georgia — In 1996, Rebecca Wells published her now legendary novel The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, chronicling the lives and tenacious bonds between a group of women friends and their female relatives.  The same year, two infant girls were born into a brand new generation of our family, joining another girl baby born the year before.  Hmmm, my sister and I thought, wouldn't it be femininsational if we could nurture these little girls, our own little Yayas, to develop strong ties with each other, to become a constant and source of sisterly strength to each other throughout their lives?

Now those first little Yaya girls are stunning teenagers.  More Yayas have entered our little sisterhood, and the youngest have just celebrated their first birthdays.  Our Yaya bonding has expanded to include moms and grandmothers, aunts and cousins.  Anyone who is female and a relative — or the relative of a relative — is  welcomed into our loving sisterhood, and our lives have been richer for it.

Of course, our Yaya sisterhood has many girly secrets, which must not be revealed to anyone, especially to Yoyos (males of any stripe).  So I can say only so much about this past weekend, when we had a Princess Yaya assembly at Callaway Gardens, bringing together all our under-10 Yaya Princesses, their moms and grandmothers, and even one great-grandmother.  Don't get the wrong impression by my use of the P word.  Our Yaya princesses are not like some of the little diva wannabes seen on reality TV (Toddlers & Tiaras).  Like their moms and grandmothers, these Yayas are strong and brave.  In fact, the activity they wanted to do first involved putting their hands in the mouths of wild animals.

Yes, we trekked off in search of savage beasts to feed and tame at the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain.  In a brilliant entrepreneurial arrangement, the facility owners rent you a van to drive through their property, sell you food to feed to their animals, and charge you admission for the privilege.  It's ingenious... and it's fun.  Visitors can see, touch, and feed hundreds of exotic animals, including giraffes, zebras, buffalo, antelope, llamas, elk, horses, ostriches and emus, and an endless variety of deer.  The animals walk right up to your vehicle and open their mouths to be fed.  Even our 18-month-old Yaya loved this opportunity to get up close with animals.  Several of the little princesses were talking veterinary science after we left.  Just sayin'...

Karoline & Rachel in 1997 & 2011

Anna, Baylinn & Lizzie

Avery, Emma & Reese