Seriously, she's one of the most amazing, kind, patient people you'll ever meet. And actually, just this morning I realized that I was conceived approximately two weeks after she was born. Here's what I think happened . . .
We were hanging out in Heaven playing flying hopscotch and what not when she decided that it was time for a new adventure - a road trip, if you will - to Earth. So she was born, and I was bored so I went for a visit. At that time said/cooed to me one of two things, either A) "J, this is really cool. You should come too. It'll be so freaking cool." Or B) "J, this is crazy nuts and I don't think I can do it on my own. Please come down too. We can do it together." Being the optimist that she is, I'm going with A - always convincing me I can do things that I really incapable of doing. And so, I came. It took us something like 12 years to find each other again, but we did it.
We've known each other for 22 years and been best friends for 18. (MJ, correct me if I'm wrong, my math skills lack once the sun goes down). We've been through EVERYTHING you can think of together . . dating, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends (and their sweatshirts), middle school, multiple divorces (not our own), high school, research papers, college, cross country trips, snow storms, heat waves, marriages (hers, not mine), babies (hers, not mine), buying houses, getting jobs, losing jobs . . and so much more. And I expect that it will continue for many more years to come.
Earlier this evening, I realized I was out of milk (for shame!) so I ran to the grocery store. Upon getting there, I realized I had remnants of dinner still on my shirt. Feeling like an idiot, I ran into my Bishop. And this time, he actually recognized me. Figures.
Then two minutes later, I saw another woman from my ward. She is in her late 30's, never been married, teaches elementary school, cries in every lesson where they mention kids and/or marriage and writes in her journal during Sunday School about how hard it is to be single in a family based religion (she sad next to me one day and held her journal so that I could read it - trying to bond or something, I suspect). So, I ducked around a corner (yes, I'm evil and MJ would NEVER do such a thing) so that I wouldn't have to talk to her. But before I did, I realized that she was wearing no makeup, a sloppy tshirt, had her hair in a bun and just looked generally sad - aside from the sad part, she pretty much looked a lot like I did, minus the food that was being saved for later. And I thought, "Damn, that's me in 7 years. . ."
And then in my minds eye, I saw us up there in Heaven again and I thought, "This is all Marion's fault."
Sorry about the random smattering of pictures. Eventually, when it's not the middle of the night, I'll come back and make one of those cute collages that MJ makes on her blog - but as of right now, that requires way too much effort.
