Best Friends

Inspired, as I often am, by the Maya's Mom Journal topic of the day, I wrote the following post for my journal, and thought I'd share it here.

AMarie and I met when we were thirteen.

We passed some notes, shared some crushes for boys, went on vacations together and decided that thermal underwear with Goodwill bought boxer shorts over them were the latest fashion while the other girls were carrying Liz Claiborne purses and wearing acrylic nails.

One weekend during our Senior year in High School, my mom got remarried and AMarie and I were the bridesmaids (oh those big puffy peach dresses...mom what were you thinking?). That same weekend AMarie won Homecoming Queen. We'd planned what to do when she won, as I was sure she would. I have a great photo of that moment, much like the one posted here, but with both of us wearing big shiny red dresses on a football field and making false crying-with-joy and surprise faces. (My friend is just as much or more of a ham as I am. Okay more. This woman had an actual following down in LA when she lived there, of folks who would come see her Karaoke.) I shudder when I think of what we had the announcer read as we walked down the makeshift aisle in the auditorium the day before the Homecoming game. "BJ '89!" the unsuspecting Principal read as AMarie walked across the wood floor. Did we really believe no adult understand what BJ stood for?? Bad, dirty girls.

But we weren't as immature as that one incident might suggest. Recently I found a near pristine copy of The Giving Tree tucked away in my pile of books. I pulled it out, wondering where it came from, and inside was a full page of words from AMarie about how much she treasured our friendship. Her inscription was thoughtful, moving, and full of just about the nicest things anyone has ever said about me. And she wrote this on the day of our High School Graduation, when most people were scribbling "URAQT!" and "KIT! Let's party over the summer!". I am thankful every single day that I still have this wonderful woman in my life. We went off to college together, were in each others' weddings, and are now knee deep in family vacations and playdates, as well as the best girls' nights and weekends away I could ask for.

This photo was taken recently on AMarie's 35th birthday. She's still a hottie, obviously--could probably still win Homecoming Queen at any given High School. But now she's got twin babies, and is a school counselor, and has an amazing husband. And she is still my best friend. I am so lucky.