Wednesday, May 14, 2008

It was a cold day in Anchorage....

Yes, folks, believe it or not, exactly 31 years ago today, my dear friend, Ambie graced the world with her presence. (And the world is still trying to recover.) We have been friends for almost 5 years now and we've had some serious doozies for memories. I've learned that whenever Ambie calls and says, "I have something to tell you..." it's best just to hang up and try to forget that I ever knew her. But, slow learner that I am, I have yet to do that. So here, my dear friend, is a list (I love lists, can you tell?) of some of my favorite memories with you:


The time we took our kids to Nordstrom and Maya pulled all the tags off the dolls and I pretended she was your daughter. (My kids look more like Ambie and her kids look more like me)

The time we ran down the fat guy with a cart at Costco and almost gave him a heart attack.

The year we made 17 pies for Thanksgiving, sewed 3 formals for Christmas and 5 sun-dresses for Easter. (and when I say "we sewed" I mean "I sewed")

The time we went camping at the Kenai river - and I swore never to camp with you again.

The year we went to Girls' Camp and it took both Heather and me to get you off the ground on the air mattress, then we discussed the movie "Shallow Hal". (I'm still laughing about that, sorry.)

That wedding that I ditched - and you didn't. yeah, that one.

Two words: Road Show (AHHHHHHH!!!!!!)

But more than any specific memory - is all the time we spent together shopping at midnight at Walmart and Fred Meyer, the cooking your husband did for us and taught me, and the haircuts, all the times we were so immature and ornery at church that people hated us, having your teenagers invade my house every Sunday to play with my kids and cook and eat, the hours and hours we spent talking in a running car in our driveways, people-watching at the State Fair and playing "guess their income", I could go on and on.

So enjoy your birthday, friend. Because even though I think Jessica is prettier and Alex is a better cook and Natalie is nicer and your mom does more service for others - you are the one I would choose for a best friend everyday and twice on Sunday.

12 comments:

Ambie said...

Your just trying to make me cry .. on purpose!

I love you too. Your my best friend.

Mama Mia said...

Loved you list! I wish I could have been there to be in on all the fun...guess their income...now why haven't I thought of that game before...I will have to try it at the NE state fair! Too funny!

Mama Mia said...

I meant "your list"...Obviously I don't proof read until after it posts!It's late!

Grandma Faith said...

You left off your list the night your mother and sister were disapprovingly cleaning your cupboards of spilled flour, sugar and dry beans and you ran for cover at Ambriah's and didn't come back until dawn. And what about the times you two play the acronym game--when you make clever phrases from common acronyms and sometimes from the letters on license plates?

Grandma Faith said...

You left off your list the night your mother and sister were disapprovingly cleaning your cupboards of spilled flour, sugar and dry beans and you ran for cover at Ambriah's and didn't come back until dawn. And what about the times you two play the acronym game--when you make clever phrases from common acronyms or even the letters on license plates?

Grandma Faith said...

Sorry for the redundancy. Chock it up to lack of techy skills. By the way, why do they make you go through the word verification drill with the handicap symbol?

ray said...

The good ol' acronym game. We would take a person's initials and make an acronym that describes them, like you would be Fair Minded Woman or Fast Mouthy Wit or Full of Motherly Worries.

Ambie is All-Estrogen Parent or Anything Except Punctual or An Erupting Pie-hole

Good fun! I love this game. Mia, what's your middle initial? We can come up with some for you.

Oh, and the word verification. I think that's to keep computer generated spam away.

ray said...

I forgot about the acronym game. I feel a post coming on...

Mama Mia said...

My initials are MJB have at it...can't wait to see what you can come up with...:)

Ambie said...

Faith, I remember that day and my advice to Ray was to suck it up and take it like a man.

ray said...

Oh Ambie, this wasn't a gathering of helpful sisters to ease the burden of a busy hostess and mom, this was a full blown intervention complete with lots of finger-wagging, tongue tisking, and head shaking with an air of, "come let us unite to point out all of ray's shortcomings as a mother and housewife so that perhaps her husband and children may have a chance at a normal life".

Sometimes the best defense is an all-out retreat. I recall there was cussing. Oh wait, that was me.

Cheryl said...

What a wonderful list! Aren't best friends awesome!!

Happy belated birthday, Ambriah!!

Lots of love!!