These are my dear friends, Julie and Wally.
I've known Wally since Freshman year of high school. I've known Julie since 2nd grade. I knew them before they fell in love. I knew them when they weren't so in love. I happily stood witness as they took their wedding vows.
Julie has been with me when I've laughed so hard I've cried. She's been with me when I've cried so hard there was nothing else to do but laugh. She was there when my son was born. I am her son's godmother. We've driven nearly across the country together. We've stunk up the tennis courts together. We've shared clothes and food and bathrooms and sob stories and the juiciest of gossip.
We've spent months not speaking to each other, fighting over who broke the hairdryer, fighting over brothers, fighting over whatever else is so important to high school girls. We always make up, though. We love each other more than our luggage.
But here's what we haven't done in the last 17 years: lived in the same town. College, and then spouse's jobs took us far away from each other. And yet, despite the miles, there's barely another soul on this earth that I've felt closer to.
Wally and Julie moved back this summer. I still can't believe it – that I can just pick up the phone and say the word and we can get together. It almost makes the crappy winters and lack of decent fish tacos here bearable! Almost.
Now that the kids are back in school, Julie suggested we meet for lunch the other day. I don't think we've sat together for lunch since the twelfth grade (it was an even year – which means I think we were getting along). We sat there and ate lunch like we'd been eating lunch together for the last twenty years. Do you have a friend like that? I hope you do.
As we were leaving, Julie suggested in a half-joking way that we should do this every week. We'll be Ladies Who Lunch. I could eat lunch with that girl every week until we're shriveled and being spoon-fed jell-o. I hope that's exactly what we do.
Welcome home, friends.
And don’t forget the vacation trip to the New England states. The photo of you with the Twin Towers as the back drop.
Possible best thing about this post: the Steel Magnolias quote. Perfection.
I do believe it was on that very trip that we fought over the hair dryer. Good times.
I might just quote that movie once a week. Just the other day I told my 8-year-old she was "too twisted for color TV." She thought I was off my rocker. Love that movie and anyone else that loves it!
Lovely. Still some of my dearest friends are from junior high. I love most about some of my closest friends is that we can go for a (too)long while and not even speak, but then when we finally get together for lunch, etc. it’s as if we never missed a beat. That’s the best.
I think there's something to be said for those friends who knew your dorky, awkward self in junior high and still love you today. Extra points if those friends refuse the temptation to tag dorky, awkward pictures of you on facebook. Not that you were dorky or awkward in junior high. In fact, I bet you were perfectly cute. I'm just sayin' those kinds of friends are the best.
I can tell you one thing that you already know… My best friend and I have known each other since 1st grade and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. We’re over 1000 miles away from each other and I’d do anything to be just a phone call away. I miss those days, but it’s a friendship like ours that lets me know years from now we will still be best friends just like we were growing up.
You two are such wonderful people – so glad you have each other to count on, even if you are thousands of miles away. Speaking from experience, even in your darkest times just having that kind of friend to call on is priceless. I'd be careful though . . . we Hoosier girls are pretty good at getting our Texan friends back home!
My dear friend…your words are ones I will treasure always. Thank you so much for loving me even through my Weezer moments. Even through our tumultuous times I knew my life wouldn’t be complete without you:) I love you too…I just don’t say it quite as pretty!