Ode to Laurie

Blaine and I went on a fun date night on Saturday (thank you thank you THANK YOU Brian and Ralphie!). It was our first date since February and will likely be our last for a little while (due to the upcoming arrival of Miguel Bassett--keep those name suggestions coming). We had a nice dinner at TGIFridays and enjoyed watching Oceans 13 at the dollar movie theater (alright the $2 theater). We had a really fun conversation over dinner, talking about turning points and random things that have happened that have changed our lives.

I would have to say the biggest one of these in my life was getting my seventh grade locker partner, Laurie. We had to choose locker partners based on our 1st period classes and Laurie was the only person I knew, and even then I didn't know her, but I recognized her vaguely. Anyway, not sure how it all happened from there, but before I knew it we were on the Math and Science Academic Team together(yes, we wore sweaters), then the English Social Studies Academic Team, then the Newspaper Staff (Note: I am a nerd, that may not have been made clear in my other posts, but it is true, very nerdy, especially in Jr. High). We both had massive, massive crushes on Bryce Catten, and it was okay. We knew our place, we were the nerds, he was the unattainable dream guy-- neither one of us would ever get him, so why not dream together? In fact, I am pretty sure his locker was next to, or very close to ours, my heart flutters just thinking about it (ha!). Here is a good example of how we tormented Bryce Catten, for valentines day-- oh this is a painfully embarrassing remembrance-- we decorated his locker with Lion King valentines (Lion King had just come out by the way), and wrote on it "You are such a mighty king, oh how we wish we were your queens". Oh my gosh, were we really that bad, I am crying from laughing so hard about that one.

We spent our summers traveling through West Valley on one bicycle. One of ours was always broken, so we had it figured out how to make due with one bike between the both of us. We went on vacations together, worked the same jobs, joined the same clubs, and even protested the Olympics together (eh, it wasn't an official protest, just us marching up and down showing our opposition).

The other cool thing about Laurie was that her older brother was crazy too, just like mine! I was having a really really hard time with life, especially in regards to my brother. He scared the devil out of me. I was pretty sure he was in a gang. I hated it when I came home to find him there, etc. So Laurie and I had a pretty sweet system. If we got home from school and her brother was home, we would go to my house, if we got home from school and my brother was home, we would go to hers. And we helped each other through the stresses of having brothers who were crazy (both of our brothers are doing much better these days).

I was there for her when we were at Raging Waters and her lip got stuck in her braces. She was there for me when Blaine kissed "the man stealer". I was there for her when she thought her house was being invaded by a chainsaw murderer (turned out to be someone cutting down a tree next door) and she was there for me . . . . always!

So it was, Laurie and Kristi BFF for sure. I don't know if she realizes how big the influence that she had on me was. And though I thought I recognized before the significant role she played in my life I have to say that I realized it more on Saturday as Blaine and I played the game of "if Laurie had missed the first day of Jr. High, where would Kristi be now?" (we had some pretty good scenarios!)

Laurs, thanks for everything, I am so glad that we were locker partners and all the fun things it brought through the next 12 years!

P.S. I wish SO bad that there had been digital cameras back in the day because putting a picture of the 7th grade Laurie and I up on here would be the cause of a great many laughs!