Well, let me start by introducung myself. I'm Amy and I'm Ashley's best friend of 20 years. She's out gallivanting around San Diego this week, so I'm filling in. Since Ash and I are going to be celebrating our 20th year of friendship this Summer, I figured I'd write a special Monday Mind Dump about our friendship. And I'm doing this on Tuesday in honor of # 10 on this list. Enjoy!
1. It all started with a pink Skip-It. You remember those, right? Her family had just moved in next door. She and I were riding our bikes in the cul-de-sac saying nothing just waiting for the other to say something first. She finally broke the ice and said " Hey- I've got an extra Skip It. Do you wanna play?" Not sure of the exact dialogue there but it was something like that and that's where our story began.
2. Ash has taught me a lot of things over the past 20 years. Three very important things she taught me- 1. How to braid hair 2. How to swim and 3. How to make a mean fluffernutter sandwich.
1. It all started with a pink Skip-It. You remember those, right? Her family had just moved in next door. She and I were riding our bikes in the cul-de-sac saying nothing just waiting for the other to say something first. She finally broke the ice and said " Hey- I've got an extra Skip It. Do you wanna play?" Not sure of the exact dialogue there but it was something like that and that's where our story began.
2. Ash has taught me a lot of things over the past 20 years. Three very important things she taught me- 1. How to braid hair 2. How to swim and 3. How to make a mean fluffernutter sandwich.
3. In the early 90's we used to roller skate in her basement and pretend we were ice skating in the Winter Olympics. We used to argue about who got to be Nancy Karrigan and who would be Tanya Harding. Neither of us wanted to be Tonya Harding, because really who would want to be her anyway?
4. When we were 8, Ash dragged me into playing softball with her. We were usually back to back in the line up. She'd hit first and get on base. I'd hit next and run so fast that I'd literally be at her heels yelling at her to go faster and she'd be screaming and waving her arms around in the air the whole way. (If you know her surely you can picture this.) We were quite the duo.
4. When we were 8, Ash dragged me into playing softball with her. We were usually back to back in the line up. She'd hit first and get on base. I'd hit next and run so fast that I'd literally be at her heels yelling at her to go faster and she'd be screaming and waving her arms around in the air the whole way. (If you know her surely you can picture this.) We were quite the duo.
5. When we were 12 she became obsessed with Titanic. And Leonardo DiCaprio. And along with that came her obsession with that song. You know which one I'm talking about. Yes, "My Heart Will Go On". And lucky me I was subjected to hearing this song on repeat. Every day. For months. And months. If I ever hear this song again it will be too soon.
6. When we were 14 we became obsessed with *NSYNC. Before they hit the big time we went to their concert in the Macy's parking lot at Lenox. And there it happened... Joey Fatone waved at us. Yes he did. And that's all we talked about for a while. We were also "guest stars" in their tour video. Our starring appearance was for approx. 3.5 seconds and if you blinked you'd probably miss it, but it didn't matter. According to us we were famous.
6. When we were 14 we became obsessed with *NSYNC. Before they hit the big time we went to their concert in the Macy's parking lot at Lenox. And there it happened... Joey Fatone waved at us. Yes he did. And that's all we talked about for a while. We were also "guest stars" in their tour video. Our starring appearance was for approx. 3.5 seconds and if you blinked you'd probably miss it, but it didn't matter. According to us we were famous.
7. Another reason we're famous: we were models. Well, OK not exactly. But we did get to pose for an ad for our orthodontist when we were in 10th grade. The ad ran in a local newspaper. We were absolutely mortified when this ad also appeared on our high school newspaper for all of our classmates to see. Yikes...
8. Her hubby Chris, better known to all of you as Mr. Clean, was actually my Junior Prom date! Funny huh? Don't worry, there was no funny business or anything. We went strictly as pals. He and Ash fell madly in love soon thereafter and the rest is history, baby.
9. Ash has always been there to catch me when I fall. Sometimes literally. Like the time we watched her Momma give birth to little Davianna our Senior year. I was the videographer that day and as little Davi was making her way into the world, my head was spinning. As she was squishing out I told Ash that I thought I might pass out. And I did. And she caught me.
10. If you know her at all, you know that Ash is chronically and habitually late. Getting to school was no different. Since we lived next door to each other we of course rode to school together. Well she made us late so many times our Senior year that we both got suspended.
11. On the day she and Chris got married it wasn't just her dad giving her away that day. I was giving her away too. I was giving her away to her new best friend, her husband. And I think I cried more than anybody! Well, maybe second to her Mom.
12. I'm always here for her to give her advice when she needs it and she knows that. But I always found it funny that when she was prego with Kidd-O she'd always ask me questions about being pregnant and giving birth. You know the "what if?" questions and stuff. However, I have no kids and have never been pregnant. And we enjoyed laughing about all the weird and sometimes gross things that were happening to her prego body.
Well folks, there you have it. Actually, no you don't. It's impossible for me to sum up 20 years worth of stories, experiences and memories into just a few lines. As I was writing this I had probably a hundred different stories and memories flash before me. Our friendship is indescribable and only if you know us and are close to us can you really get it. She's a housewife rookie and a mom (a great one). And I'm a corporate working single lady. Yet, as different as our lives are, there is no one in this world that is more like me than she is. She knows what I'm about to say before I can even say it. She's the Lucy to my Ethel. The Laverne to my Shirley. And the peanut butter to my marshmellow fluff. She's my best friend and my Summer Sister and I wouldn't be who I am without her! Love you Ash!
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