Happy Birthday to Over 30 Years of Friendship

Yes, I did steal that off of your Facebook page!

My friend Lee Ann and I have been friends for over 35 years.  She is my longest friend!  I can't say the word old in that sentence no matter how young she is!  And today is her birthday.

A few things about her (all true….be afraid if you are reading Lee Ann):

1. She loves to read.
2. She still has the sense of humor that she did as a kid!  Which is a very good thing!  
3. She's not crazy about television.
4. She is crazy about her cats.  (I won't go into details about her new cat stroller or snap chat pictures she sends me of them!)
5. No matter the time or distance, she will remain my dearest friend.

We grew up in a small town in South Mississippi with less than 1,200 people and not even a stop light. We spent summer evenings walking and talking, swinging on their porch, having sleep overs and playing games.  There were endless hours of laughing and silly jokes (ones we still laugh about)!

Just a couple of years ago!

Life in a small town meant that we entertained ourselves with the simple and uncomplicated.  Some time around age 10, we created a little newspaper that we typed up and delivered to "old people".  Each edition was typed on my mother's manual typewriter and ran off copies on an old mimeograph machine.  I can still smell that cool, fresh purple ink.

Lee Ann was a determined and confident child.  Both traits that have carried her well through life.  She wore corrector shoes that she hated, but she wore them no matter what.  One year some boys in our class asked her if those were karate shoes.  Her response, "Yep!  You want me to kick you with them!?"  She could turn nearly anything into a joke and would just keep going.  Nothing ever seemed to bother her.

She hated wearing make up and curling her hair.  I can remember her coming over to our house after getting ready just so she could brush out her hair and wipe off her make up.  I was still in a hairspray fog and painting my face.  I never understood the point of wasting good make up and hair spray like that!  Her argument was that it was easier just to appease her Granny, put on make up and do her hair.  Then undo it all!  Yes, Lee Ann will always remain one the most logical people that I have ever known.

I suppose a lot of things have changed since the years of eating fudge pops on their screened in porch.  And other things haven't.  She still loves sweets and would feed her kids pie and candy for breakfast.  Don't judge.  You know you are wondering why your momma wouldn't do the same!

I hope that Lee Ann's expectant daughter Lucie remembers that pie and candy for breakfast never hurt anyone.  Make it a family tradition.  Your mom did it with you, and you turned out great!  And, it made you love your mother for all of the obvious reasons!  She is awesome!

Last summer, 2013

Lee Ann worked for an accountant in Omaha when her children were small.  Once, her boss gave her children each some candy and gave them strict instructions not to tell their mom.  Both girls quickly asked, "Why not?  She lets us eat candy all the time!"

For any overly zealous mother or person in general reading this, stop before calling department of human services on Lee Ann!  Her youngest daughter just finished another half marathon.

I am starting motherhood, and she is becoming a grandmother this year.  Yep.  I did just say that.  And I'm not calling her the "O" word.  I guess that just anchors the endless times I answer the question of if I am King Diaper's grandmother.  We laughed about that very thing when she announced her daughter's pregnancy.  Tonight as I sent her a snap chat of Joseph and I telling her goodnight, I thought about her sending pictures of she and her new grand baby soon!  I can't wait.

I enjoyed watching her girls grow into beautiful young ladies.  And, now I'll have the opportunity to watch her grandchildren grow too.

While we live miles apart and see each other on rare occasions these days, we still keep in touch with each other often.  We snap chat silly pictures.  We text.  And, there is always Facebook.  She never answers her phone, but is probably busier that I am at this point in her life.  Apparently grown up kids and cats are a lot of work.  I'm not judging.  I think it is true and ahead of me!  Hopefully not the cat part.

Senior year

She tells her girls stories about us eating raisinettes in church and our root beer and powdered doughnuts at sleep overs.  I'm not sure if she has disclosed the fact that we tried to pass off Tums as Sweet Tarts to someone once to make them stop eating our candy.  As I previously disclosed, we grew up in a small town and had to entertain ourselves.

We went to church camp in the summer and mission trips to New Mexico.  There has been big hair and big drama along the way.  But what remains is that endless friendship that I cannot imagine life without.

I hope that King Diaper will make life long friends like this.  Reflecting on our friendship makes me sad that she lives so far away.  Even if her kids are grown up, he could enjoy playing with her grandkids! (or cats)  And she could give me lots of parenting advice.  I mean she's about to be a grandmother and all.  Isn't that what they do?

So as I finish this up, I think its time for me to call, text or something for her birthday.  It is her birthday after all.  And maybe I'll have some cake in her honor!   Or I could just feed it to Joseph!  Happy birthday Lee Ann!  Guess what?  Love you!  I couldn't imagine what life would have been like without you!