Stephanie and I instantly bonded over the best childhood activity ever: Barbies. I can't tell you how many hours we invested in Barbie Dolls. We built homes, made up great story lines, and just enjoyed our shared love for Barbie. But it wasn't just dolls that united us.
We loved to laugh. We slept at one another's house all.the.time. We watched movies together. Our favorites were the Psycho movies (Psycho II and III were our favorites). I bumped into Psycho III on TV last summer. I was shocked at how horrible it was. But I can't tell you how much I laughed and became nostalgic. We also watched many, many moves together: Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and all the other John Hughes movies. We saw La Bamba, Dirty Dancing, Karate Kid II, and many more movies together in the theater. She even came with me to my first "movie with a boy" in the sixth grade...the movie was She's Having a Baby. It was horrible.
I knew her family, she knew my family. We ate at our houses. Because of her, I learned to eat soup. That girl has a knack for eating every possible soup out there. She spent some time with me at my grandma's house in Stephen, MN. I went with her to see her grandpa in a Fergus Falls nursing home.
By junior high, it's fair to say that we both grew in different directions, but at the same time, we spent time together...just not as much. We still rented movies and got Giovanni's pizza. (Pepperoni, green, and black olives) She was truly the best friend ever.
Even in high school when we both ran with other groups, Stephanie and I were always still close friends. It was unspoken but known. Every now and then we would hang out. By our senior year, our groups came together sometimes too. As juniors or seniors, we both had a job at the Tastee Freez. We dealt with her boyfriend, laughed at work, and just enjoyed each other. Steph was always the calm one. I was the spaz. I was so not private. She was more modest. I never spared her any of my gross bodily functions. I swear she was always a lady around me.
In college, we worked together. Our boyfriends were friends, so we traveled to the cities together once. That was a story. I think we had more fun before they joined us. She was in my wedding. I think by now you get the drift that we go way back.
When Ryan was a baby, she moved to San Francisco. Four years after, I didn't know where she was. It was on her birthday (today) that my dad (who adores her) called her mom to get her number. I hadn't talked to her in four years. There she was on the other end, giggling like always. We lost touch again. Thank goodness for Facebook. A year and a half ago, we found each other. I was thrilled beyond words. It just so happened that she was going to be in town that very weekend. She came over and got to see my last baby. It meant to much to me. Steph also met my other kids. Within about five minutes she declared Olivia to be a "Bonnie junior." In her words, "She's just like you. She loves to be the center of attention!"
We are still good friends to this day. Every now and then I will text her when I hear Lita Ford's "Kiss Me Deadly" on the radio. I am sure she smiles and rolls her eyes. I thank God for her friendship. It meant the world to me.
As I watch my girls with their friends, I wonder if they will still be close. I hope so. Happy Birthday Stephie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
6 comments:
Wow! I love checking your blog, but I was certainly surprised to see a blog about "us"! You were like a second sister to me. We fought just like sisters and made up just as quickly without holding grudges. From age 8-34 there are so many memories and I feel so fortunate to have had a friend as good as you, and a friendship that will last forever. We shared a quite few "coming of age" moments that would read like a Judy Blume novel. Wayne was there for me as a father figure when I did not have one as my own. He helped me enroll at MSU! I still can't believe you have four kids of your own. I remember when you and Thad first started dating. And, I remember that movie in sixth grade at the old South University theater that no longer exists. Skateland, Tastee Freez, and roadtripping to Mnpls. for the Renaissance festival in the Ford Taurus listening to Billy Joel. Good times! Thank you for the thoughtful post. Brady is so tiny in that picture..he was only just a few weeks old.
-Stephanie
You can really share a story...I had tears at the end...What's up with Mr Lonely?
So sweet. I was lucky enough to get to see Steph on one of her trips home too when she stopped in the store. Funny thing...he and my sweet momma have the same birthday!
Really great Bon. I have a similar friend who was your neighbor, I'm sure I don't need to tell you who.
~R
What a great story of friendship! You have such a poignant way of telling these stories :) Happy Birthday to Stephanie!
Well, as you know, my bday is 9/13 and I hope that I get half as nice of a message :)
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