Our Silver Anniversary and I Finally Get it Right Sister

Well, I know my friend Jenn is quite shocked that I got her birthday on her actual birthday. I even sent an e-card last night with the date of today so she knows I got it right. Although, I will admit, I was a little nervous that this was the wrong day.

Why is this a big deal? I've known Jenn since 2nd grade so you would think a person who you've known for 25 years would know the date of your birth. Well, not so with me. For years, I've gotten it wrong when Jenn ALWAYS remembers mine. As I remember back, it seems like this is a pattern in our relationship. ha!

Now I don't actually remember (as usual my lack of memory hits) Mrs. Green's class much except that we had special "chew gum in class" days, but that is when Jenn and I actually met. We had the same teacher and got to know one another. We also were on the same cheerleading squad in 3rd grade. We lucked out that we got to know one another better. Who would have known that it would last this long!

I do remember going to her first house on Elma(?) to spend the night. I even remember a little bit what it looked like. In fact, we spent the night together A LOT! I never remember the times at my house, but I do remember a few things about being over at her Dad's house on Amisted. We would always make up game shows for our parents to play. Her Dad must have really gotten a kick out of it. Also, he would always let us climb, WALK, and jump on the back of their brown 80's couch! We loved doing that! I can't believe he let us. Jenn and I would turn on the stereo (in the "formal" dining area of the house) and put on one of the tons of records there. We also used our cassette tapes to be modern. We would dance all around the living room.


We did have a falling out period that started in the 6th grade. I vaguely remember it having something to do with a note that I wrote to Julie Chen who became my 1/2 of 6th grade best friend. Jenn and I did hang out after that, but did grow a little apart in Jr. High and High School and I don't think we realized that we were still BFFs.

The funny thing is that Jenn always let me borrow money in Jr. High. Like today, I never seemed to carry cash. I'm probably still in debt to her. It became a joke on how she financed me and how much money I actually owed her. I really can't remember ever paying her back.

We did go on trips together. I remember one particular trip to Schiltterbahn, which you can read about on Jenn's blog. We actually rode the same ride 20, maybe 50 times to see this lifeguard Chris. We flirted for hours (at least it seems like it now). We got his address and everything, but once he took his red hat off we decided to pursue other ride options. He was balding! Now days that isn't a big deal to me, but to 2 15 year old girls, it is a BIG deal. It still makes me laugh today.

Also, on that particular trip, I remember the drive down there. Jenn and I had our 2 Walkmans. She was in the front seat, me in the back laying down. My choice of music was Salt and Pepa, "Let's talk about Sex." Ooooh! Risque aren't I? Anyway, I'm singing along and here is what it sounded like..."Let's talk about (silence), Baby, Let's talk about you and me....Let's talk about (silence)." Jenn's Dad, Jerry, interrupts me "Hot Rod, I know what the song says." or something smart ass like that. Talk about embarrassment! Oh my! 15 year old turning RED at this point. Knowing Mr. Garner as I did, he totally did that just to get a rise out of me!

Right here I just want to say that Jenn welcomed me into her family and her Dad was really like my 2nd Dad I spent so much time over there. He would call me "hot rod." I can vividly remember where I was standing when I got her call about her Dad. It hit me very hard as I loved him just like my own parents. He was so special to me and its hard to think he's been gone so long. He was just as special as Jenn!

I do believe that I was the first person Jenn picked after getting her license in the styling gray Monte Carlo. Even though it was totally a pimp-esque car, we thought we were awesome in it. I do have to admit that we became closer in High School because she had an October birthday and mine is in April! We had lots of fun in that car for sure.

Jenn did "steal" all the guys from me. I had the biggest crush on John Messer and guess who he goes out with. Yep! Jenn. I'm not sure if she knew I liked him, but I have to say that when I look back, I'm glad I got one upped! ha!

A prime example of this was when Jenn went out with James Palin, the cool guy with a white Nissan sports car. I was so angry that she went on a date with him because we were all in theatre together and she knew I liked him A LOT! However, once she told me of her date at Chili's where he preceded to take a string off his shirt and floss with it at the table we both agreed that he was a total dork! Again, I'm glad she experienced it first hand and not me.

Now for some reason our Senior year we decided to room together at A&M. We had always been friends, but still rooming together was a big commitment. I'm thinking she even was going to room with someone else there, but picked me in the end because she thought we'd be a better combo, which we were. I can't think of two roommates going more their separate ways. It worked well. We did spend sometime together, but our Freshman year worked out great as we were both with our boyfriends A LOT!

My fondest memory of the dorm freshman year was when our heater went out. It was freezing! So cold we duct taped a sleeping bag in front of the window to keep the cold air out. It was hilarious! Of course, we put a work order in and it took them a day or two to come out. However, maintenance decides to come out at 8am before some of us are out of bed. Now being that one of us didn't want to get in trouble for having boys in our room they shooed the worker off saying it was fixed. HA! Needless to say, we lived a bit longer in the freezer until another work order was filed and another worker came.

Now that I'm writing this guys seem to show up frequently in this post. Our Sophomore year we decided to live in the dorms again and got to pick a room in Rudder (the big dorm rooms on campus). One of our reasons for picking the room we had was that it was next to the stair and we could sneaking guys up and down easily. And we weren't even wild! We were so tame.

Now, one of the main times I remember actually being there for Jenn was during a break up our Jr year? I cancelled my plans and we played Skip Bo together. We really didn't even talk about the guy. We just had some quality roommate time.

I do want to add one more cool thing that I contributed to the relationship. If it weren't for me wanting to go meet up with a set of potential suitors, Jenn wouldn't have met her hubby! Jenn always was the stable relationship type of gal when I was the lets date around and not get too settled kind of girl. There were many guys Jenn would meet in our apartment while I was hanging out in our living room with them that she would raise her eyebrows at and in the end she would be right about them. A few favorites for Jenn's reading pleasure - Liam/Ryan upside down w/ his feet up on the wall while sitting on the couch, Brian walking into Jenn's room guy...

In the end, I think Jenn and I bonded because we were both only children secretly wanting a sister. We are enough alike to understand one another, but so different that it really makes us like sisters. She is the giving, detailed oriented, remembering one. I'm still working on it. I think we have this understanding This is why we could live together for 4 years and still come out BFFs on the other side. As for the future, Jenn is one of those friends that if you talk every day to each other or once in five years, she'll understand who I am and what I'm feeling.

I love you, Jenn!