The boy across the street

Here we are again. 

So this week I felt myself in no mood at all to blog anything - anywhere.  Nearly five years of something (as in the twins entire life so far) ended this week and it briefly sent me spiraling.  Things being so final knocked me for a loop, even if I had expected it long ago.  No hard feelings and I'm glad for the time that I did have... if anything it is just pushing me to make the changes I have wanted to make for so long.

If you asked me two days ago, I was putting on a brave face but I didn't think I would be out of the spiral anytime soon.  But then there was yesterday to snap me out of it. 

The wedding of my second oldest friend in the entire world. 

I had just turned five when my parents bought our first house.  Moving towards the end of Kindergarten to start over at a new school?  I'm not sure I was thrilled.  Could not wait for the house, but leaving all my friends behind?  No.  After my first day at the new school I remember coming home, pointing across the street and saying that that boy was in my class.  As I remember it, my mom walked me across the street and the rest is history.

He had a younger brother my sister's age and a sister one year younger than my brother.  Which of course meant we were all about to start doing just about everything together.  Even his cousins Tracy and then Jody would become babysitters for my brother, sister and I.





Every year of elementary school we were in the same class... as well as years of CCD.  The photo above is 4th grade. I'm 2nd row from the bottom with the neckerchief thing.  Don't ask.  He's bottom row, third from the right.

Here were are rollerskating in all of our 80's fabulousness.

Winters of building snow forts, icing his front steps to saucer down... summers playing kickball and manhunt between our houses.  I'm pretty sure we can claim our first 'concert' together (our moms took us all to see Bill Harley).  When I tell you we spent hours between our houses... we even had our own rock band (air instruments included of course) ... the Alfins.  (As in Alf from Melmac.)  Flying kites made from plastic grocery bags tied with thread in the back yard.  We even had a neighborhood newspaper we tried to sell people once.  At one point our bedrooms faced each other from across the street and as kids we tried to signal at night with flashlights...Morse code and all that.  But it didn't work.  Not only was there a tree in the way, we didn't actually know Morse code.

When there was a movie I wasn't allowed to see, Jamie would give me the play by play.  Music I shouldn't have been listening to?  There we were crouching in his dining room under the table listening to 2 Live Crew on the boom box.  His mom Gail saying 'Are you sure your mom is OK with you listening to this Liza?' And me nodding and smiling.  (Like she wasn't going to tell my Mom anyway.)  The time they all covered for me when I cracked a garage window... the crazy (and I do mean crazy) lady down the street... nearly our entire childhood spent together.

While I may have chased him around when I was about seven professing my love, there was never anything but friendship there. 

Towards the end of elementary school and most of Junior High we drifted a bit, but always talked here and there.  We got close again in high school when we got our first job together at Papa Gino's.  And no matter how many times we may have drifted over the years since, we could always catch up like we hadn't missed a single chat. 

He made it to my wedding. 

My oldest and his daughter were born one week apart.

And yesterday I got to be at his wedding.  I was completely teary from the moment the doors opened and I watched Lynn take a deep breath and walk in with her two boys on either side of her. They are perfect together, like they just always should have been.

Getting to reconnect with Jody and Tracy at the reception after all these years was so much fun.  Jody always treated me more like a little sister, and not a babysitter, and as a kid I loved her more than anything.

Jody, Tracy and me

Jody's fiance took like, the best photo of Al and I.  Am I right?

And you know before we left I had to get one more with Jamie.

I seriously had the best time.  And I couldn't be more happy for Jamie and Lynn.  I wish you guys a lifetime of love and happiness!!!  And lots of adventures with your four adorable little ones. 

I mean it when I say you two were meant to be.