I am blessed with many wonderful friends. My first friend was Kent Morgan in first grade. We have remained friends. My newest friend would be Anita here at work. She is so kind that she gave me her pizza from yesterday for my lunch today! (Because i forgot to pack my lunch ~ it was Patti, Denise and April day at Patti's Patio).
There are many people who have made lasting impressions on my life. Mostly good, but some bad things in there. For the most part, the bad has made me stronger and has increased my faith even more.
But there is one person that sits deep, deep in my heart. When we were twelve, we used to sign our letters V.V.V.B.F.F. Of course, standing for very, very, very, best friends forever. One time I even made a contract (in which I still have) stating that I would not be V.V.V.B.F.F.'s with Marla, to prove undying loyalty. I could be a b.f.f. but not a V.V.V.B.F.F.!
27 years later we are still V.V.V.B.F.F.'s even though we don't talk every day on the phone like we used to (my parents had many problems because of our outrageous phone bills!). My favorite memory is when she came home on the bus to my house (we forged a note) and I didn't even tell my mom! We came to my house and ate chicken pot pies. It was freezing cold out and it was getting ready to storm but we didn't care. We walked all the way out to the LaRue park. Our legs were welted, that's how cold it was. Then dark black storm clouds started rolling in...we decided it was a tornado and we named it the JenNat. (Ja-Nat). Of course because it had both of our names in it.
We went back to my house and called Jenny's mom and informed her of Jenny's whereabouts (nice of us to TELL our parents what we were going to do...) and my mother wouldn't let Geege spend the night (her name is also Gee Gee or Geege...long story for a later blog...) and so I was not happy at all on the car ride home. We were all crammed in the front seat of Old Grey (Dad's work truck): Dad, Keith, Mom, Jack, Meagan, Jen, Me. I started getting a little mouthy and mom reached over to back hand me and she got Jenny in the arm! I wailed "You hit Jenny!" And of course my mom is apologizing and Gee Gee is saying "that's okay" and it was Total Chaos!! Like it always was when she and I were together!
I could list years or memories on here...but that's something that was consistent -- total chaos!
Probably the funniest thing when we were in high school, Patti (Geege's mom) let us the take the Grasshopper (the green station wagon) into Marion because she THOUGHT (because Jenny told her) that I had my drivers license! ( Jenny only had her temps.). So away we went, neither of us legal drivers. I called Brenda (my mom) from the pay phone at the mall and told on myself. She didn't get mad, of course, she was cool like that, but instructed us to "get your crazy asses home before you get pulled over by a pig." Can you tell my mother grew up with 5 brothers on a farm and was the only girl??!!
At any rate, in our adult lives, we went to eat at Olive Garden and decided to have a bottle of our favorite wine, Ste. Michelle Riesling. After we finished off the bottle we were feeling that liquid courage...and decided to get tattoos! Aren't we so adventurous??
Since I have returned home for my job, it has been great going to lunch and being able to hang out with Geege. She runs a summer kids program and I drop Baeleigh off there on my way to work. She is so good to my daughter and I am so lucky that our kids get to spend time together since we live an hour apart.
Not long ago, Jen was diagnosed with cancer. Just typing that, my heart sank, my stomach turned and my eyes watered. She has surgery soon, and her prognosis is amazing, so we are very thankful to God about that, but it just catches my mind that I could lose her.
We all lose each other some day...I get that. But Jenny is the best friend I've ever had, the closest person I've ever been to, the person that I am most proud of as she is an honest, loving, successful caring person.
I dig that. She lives her life to the highest standards (something I've always fallen short of) and I so admire that.
Tomorrow we are having lunch together. She doesn't know it, but I have a surprise.
I love surprises!! I almost told her today but I didn't!!!
I have been ipod shopping because my died from 3 years ago. It was right when the black ones came out (remember the old days when ipods were only white? and then black was the new trend!) Anyhow, I got it my mind that she and I needed ipods. She will never spend any money on herself. And God knows I don't have ANY problem spending money!!!
So I text her and asked her if she had an ipod. No. She wanted to know why. I couldn't lie: "Well, mine died and I'm wanting to get a new one." Then I asked her what color I should get, I couldn't decide between pink or blue. She text back "pink for breast cancer awareness! lol".
I ordered 2 pink ipods. The engraving on the back says:
Jen + Nat
V.V.V.B.F.F.
They arrived today at work and I had to tell somebody! So, thank you for listening ;).
Lord, thank you for my friends and my family. They are my reason for getting up in the morning. They have carried me through the deepest, darkest hours of my life. And thanks for Geege ~ she is part of my soul. Please make her well for a thousand more years.
xoxo
N.R.
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