I have had so many great memories with Lauren over the years. We first met in third grade when we had the same teacher at Oakridge Elementary... home of the Olympians. We hit it off right away. Lauren and I created a "club" with our friend Elizabeth. It is a little embarrassing to admit, but we did. The club name was "Seepa" and our code names were Leepa, Heepa and Eepa, for obvious reasons. There were strict rules in order to be in the club. Rule #1: Goldfish crackers must be provided at every club meeting. Rule #2: You were to tell NO ONE else about the club. Rule#3: Especially not Lauren's little sister, Erin. Those were the basic grounds of the club. At our club meetings we would go and hide under the foundation of a local house... it was our "secret hideout". Eventually I gave in and broke one of the cardinal rules(#3) almost ending my friendship with my Seepa club members. I was immediately kicked out of the club and so the fun of the goldfish cracker days were over.
Luckily, Lauren forgave me and we moved on to Churchill Jr. High where we were both immediately and utterly BOY CRAZY. Yes, I admit it now Mom, I was boy crazy. Note after note after note was passed between classes creating nicknames for all the boys we liked. Few of them knew we existed, but that is how we passed the time. I still have boxes of those notes. In Jr. High we were in 9th grade chorus together, which was a total blast! We got to miss lots of classes and go perform at other schools. We loved it. We also had early morning seminary together... a lot of delirious and tired 9th graders studying the gospel at 6 in the morning was interesting (to say the least). Although, the walk back to school after seminary was always an adventure. We had to cut across the schools field to get to class, and one morning was especially exciting. It must have been the mating season for worms... there were hundreds, no, thousands of mating worms covering the fields! We were literally tip-toeing/ running across the field in record time. I have never been so grossed out or laughed so hard in my life! Making it all the more funny was Lauren's classic scream as we pranced through the wormy grass.
Once the boys started to realize we existed, that is when things got exciting! Skyline High School wouldn't have been the same without Lauren. Again, notes ensued, this time being about more pressing issues such as: plans for the weekend, what boy to ask to the dance, groundation and parent drama. We had so much fun back in the day. Some memories I will NEVER forget include: singing and dancing in the car, rear ending the hitch, EFY, the workers at Cafe Rio knowing us by name, my pseudo journalism class, sluffing class together, jamming tons of people into the "tank" for lunch breaks, the Hot Pots with "you know who" and "you know who" hahaha, sharing clothes, sitting in front of the mirror endlessly getting ready for stomps or dances, sleepovers, talking on the phone with "you know who" til the wee hours of the morn until your Dad busted us!, girls camp, the infamous hike on girls camp involving Teevas and a very steep hill, laying on the tramp in the back yard on summer days, screaming, "you know who's" dog "attacking" us every time we went in his house, 'Arry Potta, barricading "you know who's" closet, many boating trips with the fam, picture nights, senior trip, sitting in the back seet of the van to Tiajuana, the photo booth at KMart... I could go on for days. 
The college years were different. Our plan of going to the same college and being roommates didn't exactly pan out. Lauren got a scholarship to Utah State for her stellar tennis skills and I got mine to the U. It was a sad day when we realized we wouldn't get to have the college experience together. We both went our separate ways, but stayed close. We didn't talk every day like we had before, but when we saw each other it was like nothing had changed... no time had even passed between us. Those days were the best. We were a little more mature, not as boy crazy and ready to have fun and experience life! So many great memories from these days... too many to even list here... so I will spare you. Good times were had during this time!
Then came the day when I was no longer going to be Heather Monsox.... Lauren spoke at my beautiful wedding dinner and did a fabulous job. I can't even express how great it was to hear her speak! She summed up our friendship in such an awesome way. I was bawling, knowing that I wasn't going to be able to spend as much time with her anymore. Luckily, she got a job at the same Bank I work at, and we were able to see each other every day! She recently moved to California for the summer and is teaching a tennis camp. It was a sad day when she left, and we still miss her at work!
Lauren and I always used to say that somebody made a mistake in Heaven, because we were supposed to be sisters. I truly do consider Lauren a sister. She has been through thick and thin with me. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her through some of my rough years. We have been through SO much together. The saying is true "Boys will come and go, but friends will last forever". I can just imagine us being two old, grey-haired ladies, still hanging out together and having just as much fun as we are today!
For those of you that don't know Lauren, you ought to! She is one of the most giving, caring and selfless people I know. She is always doing kind things for people... whether it's a note on your desk or cookies at your door she is always thinking of ways to cheer people up. She is always so happy and bringing brightness and smiles to everyone around her. It's no wonder she got all the guys in high school! Leeps, you deserve the best, and don't you dare settle for anything less... you know I am going to have to approve, right? I am so lucky to have such an amazing best friend! Thanks for sticking with me, L-Mo. You have no idea how much it means. Love your guts and miss your face! ;) Happy Birthday girl! Loves!
1 comment:
that was one of the cutest posts i have ever read!!! happy birthday to you today heather!!!
Post a Comment