(Forgive the whacked out spacing of the pictures. . .they were all there this morning, then I sent them into cyberspace. . .and they were my bane the rest of the day. Enjoy ’em anyway.)
Sarah and I have been friends for a long time. This is not the first blog entry to start with those words. But it’s true. It’s 34 years worth of true, and today Sarah turns 40.
Now, I turned 40 about 6 weeks ago, so this is not a casting of the proverbial stone–or icing flower as the case may be. But I thought I would give you 40 things about Sarah. I may not know her BETTER than anyone else, because there are large chunks of the past 22 years that I’ve not been physically around to see, but I certainly have known her LONGER than any of the people she is in regular contact with other than her parents and brother (hey Kevin). I now give you. . . Sarah. . .
1. loves words. . .all words. . .big ones, little ones, unusual ones, quirky ones, funny ones. Loves ’em.
2. ate enough banana Laffy Taffy to keep her orthodontist (I ALSO know him. . .and his wife and kids) in business for several years.
3. and I got into REALLY big trouble by staying out until after midnight when we were in high school. We were, actually, sitting in the pitch black parking lot of our high school campus talking about some boys. That makes it no better. It’s just where we were.
4. and I did NOT get into big trouble for jumping the railroad tracks on Finks Hideaway Rd. in her brother’s CRX (sorry Kevin), because God sent his angels to keep us from wrecking it (sorry Mike) so we never got caught.
5. managed to drive said CRX while I changed clothes in the passengers seat (a feat in and of itself mind you) which leads me to
6. is a very, very good driver.
7. can sign (that is S-I-G-N. . .as in “sign language”) entire songs WHILE holding the gear shift of a manual transmission car–such as a Honda (name your model).
8. is also very, very smart. Very. Very.
9. spent several summers working with handicapped kids at a Lion’s camp.
10. climbed a mountain in Colorado MORE than once on Wilderness Trek.
11. is a lifeguard and could save you if you were drowning.
12. spent many hours with me in Mrs. Rosie’s swimming pool in Bastrop getting a tan and talking about those same boys–and others–up in #3.
13. sat by me in band–we both played the clarinet–on occasion when Christy Barker and I would duke it out over who was first chair. NORMALLY it was Christy.
14. served as my “matron” of honor. (I beat her to 40, but she beat me to the altar.) I got to be her “maid.”
15. watched in amazement as I managed to hit myself in the face with the passenger seat of my car.
16. spent a lot of time laughing at me–but not nearly as much as I laughed at myself.
17. was in chorus and wore a “Super Pickle” dress (me too).
18. never played a sport but was manager for the Lady Eagles basketball team.
19. took dance for a really long time.
20. had a cute dog named Rocky who used to clickety-clickety on his clackety toes across the floor.
21. is NOT a morning person despite the fact that she now gets up at the crack of dawn.
22. has lots of really great ideas. (See #8).
23. breaks into spontaneous song–and dance–for no apparent reason.
24. endured/listened to/commiserated with my teenaged/college aged angst.
25. thinks I always look the same–no matter the weight gain or loss, hair cut, clothing items, new wrinkles, or gray hair. This is a sign of true friendship.
26. came with my mother and sister to get me after I had been in Montana for a summer my Jr. year in college. When Momma asked what I wanted her to bring when she came to Searcy to get me I said, “My birthday cake and Sarah.” (I turned 21 the next day.)
27. and I would have REALLY benefited–rather our PARENTS would have benefited–from all of the snazzy calling plans now available. (We DID get in trouble more than once for long distance phone bills.)
28. wrote lots and lots and lots of letters and notes to me–and I wrote back. Still have ’em–and the ones from Mary Linda too.
29. was the first non-family member I called the night my Daddy died.
30. introduced me to her future husband for the first time when I came to visit her in Abilene. (Hi Troy).
31. let me hold and feed and change and dress her brand new baby girl when she was just a few days old. (Hi Ashley).
32. “accidentally” told me she was expecting her second baby when she one day casually asked me what I thought of the name “Riley.” (Hi Riley).
33. and she did not get mad at me when I told her how jealous I was that she was pregnant and not me.
34. can cut through the garbage of a situation and get to the heart of the matter like no one else I know.
35. attended Ouachita Christian School–all the way from elementary to graduation–and was voted Miss O.C.S. by the student body her senior year.
36. has a thing for baskets. . .and shoes. . .and nail polish. . .and bows.
37. probably developed a twitch when I misspelled several words and called Kevin’s CRX a CRV (we own a CRV NOW) in the first, first post, but would NEVER tell me in a million years and will laugh at me for trying to make this post perfect all stinkin’ day long.
38. loves her family.
39. loves her friends–one of which I am blessed to be.
40. loves her God.
There is much more that the confidentialty contract we sealed long ago with some Diet Coke and a few secrets won’t let me say, but we will get to see each other in two weeks (!!! First time in a year and a half–last time we got to spend all of about one hour together.) and have some Johnny’s pizza and laugh until we’re exhausted. Until then–Happy Birthday, Sayruh. You know I love ya more ‘n my luggage. (And I AM pleasant. . .) And forgive me for some of these pictures. Most of them are WONDERMOUS, but some were necessary for illustration don’t ya know.
It Be's That Way Sometimes 
Wow. One should be very, very nice to people who have such pictures of you. Wow again. I have no recollection of several of those. It’s been a good 40. Looking forward to the next 40.
I am SO sad. . .in an effort to “perfect” the post, I did some “tweaking” and now all of the photos are not in the little snazzy gallery I had made. And it’s too late to fix it at home. . .in fact. . .I’m LATE, LATE, LATE. So. . .the photos will have to wait. Your birthday will last all day–I’ve got time. 🙂
Girl, I thought I made them go away! No worries! Yes, I will be 40 for a whole year. Don’t be late.
Did you get to see them before they disappeared? The only one I knew you would out and out HATE was you impersonating your mom’s reindeer. . .but I LOVE it–the expression on your face is priceless.
And now am EXCEPTIONALLY late.
Well, that’s another teenage story I haven’t heard! Some day we’re all going to have to sit down to bring dear old dad up to date on the abuse that poor Honda suffered. I certainly have no room to complain – not after what I did to my parents’ cars!
Love ya, Rox, and I greatly appreciate your sharing your delightful observations of my baby.
Sarah, I have heard such wonderful things about you from Roxanne, and so I will simply say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you. Roxanne, however, I need to ask if those are stirrup pants that you are wearing? Did you guys have a horse that lived with you in the duplex that you felt you must been in a state of readiness to ride? (Yes, I realize that stirrup pants were the fashion.)
Indeed. Stirrup pants. 1991. I was trying to get all of the photos back on there, but I got booted off. I will have to put the rest up after school.
Thank you, Jennifer, and stirrup pants? The ONE piece of 80’s clothing I LONG to come back and never, never will. I could pull off stirrup pants like no one’s business. Tiny waist and ‘sturdy legs’ — MADE for stirrup pants.
Ashley saw the ‘mimicking the reindeer’ pick and asked ‘were you pregnant?’ (snort)
That is HILARIOUS (Ashley’s comment). You were barely 18. 🙂
Oh. . .and Jennifer–there was no horse at the duplex, but one of the guys who were in the other half had a dog named “Subaka” or “Chewbacca” or something “ahka.” I think it started with an S. Anyway. . .I think one of the hardest times I’ve EVER LAUGHED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE (and that is saying something) is the morning my car broke down at the top of the hill on Washington Ave., and I left it there to walk the mile and a half home. Someone gave me a ride, and when I got there, Sarah was all decked out in some cute clothes to go to class at ACU when “S-ahka” dog broke out of his run for the MILLIONTH time. I was on the phone with the mechanic, and Sarah was trying to woo the dog back into his cage with pretzels. I was just reaching a fevered part of my phone conversation when I saw the dog snatch the ENTIRE BAG OF PRETZELS from Sarah’s well-manicured hands and go to town. I really, truly laughed HARD AND LONG. It’s still funny to this day.
Love the picture of you guys in first grade. That made me tear up a bit.
BTW…sobaka is the Russian word for dog.
Well, now THAT makes perfect sense–the dog name.
As far as the tearing up goes, you are hopped up on Soynana milkshakes, girl. 🙂 (It makes me a little teary too. . .isn’t is AWESOME that we have a photo of the us together–next to each other–within the first 6 weeks or so of us meeting each other?–amazing).
Funny thing is that I didn’t even notice it until a couple of years ago. Momma had given me all of my school pictures. . .I had never even seen this one. It was at the bottom of the stack, and I didn’t remember ever HAVING seen it. As I looked at all of those familiar faces, I saw that Sarah and I were seated next to each other. Too cool.
FYI, I just saw stirrup pants at Wallymart today. And the world is right again. 😉
Sarah, I think there is a party going on here, in Roxanne’s comments!
I loved those stirrup pants too, and I’ve also seen them in stores, so they must be coming back… (wonder if 40+ can get away with wearing them?!!)
I also love when Dads reveal tiny glimpses into their stories: Just what did Mike do to his parents’ cars?! I love that your Dad, Sarah, is part of your story, online as well – though I’ve never met him I can relate. 🙂
Roxanne, I am constantly amazed at your capacity to recall memories. WHY ARE YOU NOT WRITING A BOOK!? You have a beautiful writing style, and it s so rich with details and form and structure and, and, and… everything! 🙂
Also, it’s so weird to see add-a-bead necklaces hanging over a sweatshirt collar and realize it is old-fashioned.