My BFF

As most of you probably know, my BFF, Ashley, and I have been BFFs for about 24 years. I realize this makes me sound very old, but in reality, we were in 1st grade when our friendship was kindled.  We were inseparable from 1st through 7th grade, when at that time my family moved overseas (to Scotland). Ashley and her family came to Scotland to visit for Christmas (it really helps a BFF situation when the moms are also BFFs!). And I spent the whole summer with her family in Oklahoma the following summer (which was really crazy because that was also the summer that her parents adopted 5 kids). Over the following 4 years of high school, we managed to see each other at least 1 or 2 times during the school year, and we spent nearly all summer together. For our senior year trip, our moms flew just the 2 of us to Majorca for a week (an island in the Mediterranean).

When it came time to pick a college, we decided that we were going to make our decisions separately. Neither of us wanted to pick a college based on the other, only to regret the decision and then feel bad towards the other. It just so happened that we both picked Covenant (and thank the Lord for that!). Against all parental advice, we decided to room together. How could we go to the same college and not live together? And against all odds, we lived together in bliss for all 4 years. I can only think of a small handful of altercations.

We both got married the summer we graduated. Me first: she was my maid of honor (with my sister as my matron of honor). She got married 2 months later, and I was her matron of honor. In between, we were both bridesmaids for our mutual BFF, Melissa (but that's a WHOLE other story, for another day and another post...).

Over the past 7 years that we've both been married, we haven't seen each other quite as much (you know, the whole not.being.on.your.parents.gravytrain.anymore). She did fly out when my firstborn, William was born. And then she flew out when Hudson was born. And I flew out when her little man, Keaton was born. And we see each other at our annual Girls Trip. Oh, and we see each other at least 1 holiday a year when we're both in Oklahoma. Ok, so I guess I do see her at least 2-3 times a year.

Her life is a bit more exciting than mine at the moment because she lives in Hawaii. The good news is that I got to see her IN Hawaii last year, and she spent a month in Oklahoma this past summer while her husband was traveling for work so I got to see her again. The bad news is that she had her 2nd baby boy in Hawaii, and I didn't get to meet him until he was 3 months old. But more good news, she got to spend a whole month here on the mainland for Christmas. So, I got to see her a bit while we were in Oklahoma, and then she and her mom and her 2 sweet boys came down here for 4 days after Christmas.

The fun part nowadays is that 2 of our boys are only 4 months apart, and we can already see a budding friendship. It's a good thing too because we have already arranged for them to be roommates in college, along with their friend Andrew (Melissa's little guy), at Covenant in about 15 years.

Here are a few pics of the BFF reunion (albeit mostly of the children):

It's been one of the biggest blessing in my life to have such a great friend, who's really more like a 2nd sister. I can't imagine my life without her. One of my daily prayers for my boys is that they will one day have a friendship like I have with Ashley.

I'm guessing that some of you might be interested to see what we looked like as kids, if you didn't know us then. I know there about a bazillion pics of us from 1st grade on up, but I'm guessing they're packed away somewhere. So, this is what I could gather up...

Ashley wrote this in 1988, and I have kept it ever since. It was written on bright blue construction paper, but as you can see it's faded to a grim yellowish/blueish/grey:

This was 5th grade (1991) "Oklahoma Day". We are the 2 on the right, back row:

1993:

1996:

1996. These next 4 is one of those strips of 4 pics from a mall photo booth:

1998 (we had our senior pics together...)

 So, those were the early years of our friendship. Here are a few from college/post-college (and hopefully some better pics with a better hair-do):

Graduation from Covenant (2003):

 My bachelorette party:

 (obviously) my wedding day, with 2 of our other 'besties' Angela and Melissa:

 the same 4 at Melissa's wedding:

 mud-wrestling for Ashley's bachelorette party

(obviously) Ashley's wedding day:

New Years Eve 2004:

 Girls Trip 2005:

 William's birth 2006:

 Girls Trip 2007:

 Hudson's birth 2007:

Keaton's birth 2008:

My brother's wedding 2008:

 Girls Trip 2008:

 Girls Trip 2009:

 family vacation with the Archambo clan 2009:

 Girls Trip 2010:

As you can see, it's been a wild ride these past 24 years. I'm realizing how amazing it's been having such a great friend all these years. I love you, Ash!