Our household got up early this morning and put on our "glad rags". It was a big day for my best friends Rooster (or Ruthie as some like to call her) and John. Today was the day their only daughter would be married. (Boy oh boy do I remember the excitement and stress of such a monumental day!) We were all excited and happy for the whole family and couldn't wait to be a part of it.
Rooster and John used to be our neighbors. We became the dearest of friends thanks to our youngest children, Johnny & Lizzy. Big John tells the story that Lizzy showed up at their front door shortly after moving in, wanting to know if they had any kids her age that she could play with. Lizzy was about 5 or 6 at the time and was known to disappear from our home and show up at other people's homes. John told her yes, they had a son her age but wanted to know where her Mommy was. (John likes to embellish this part of the story by saying that Lizzy explained that I was home "sleeping it off" on the couch!) The two kids played and I got to meet John and Ruth and that was about it. But Lizzy just loved going over there and her and Johnny became inseperable. I was pleasant and waved and said hi to the parents but that was about it. I figured Ruth and I could never be friends. After all she was one of those "good" moms that had scheduled crafts etc. for her kids to do daily. I was way too busy working etc. to do such things. Then one day I saw her outside smoking. Hmmmm. . . maybe we could be friends? Maybe she isn't so perfect? So we became more and more friendly and the rest is history.
Meanwhile the kids had been friends for a couple of years by now, and played together daily. Lizzy was 2 years older and taller than Johnny, and frankly she kind of bullied him around a bit. Those two kids were complete opposites (in more ways than just the obvious gender difference). Johnny was shy and quiet, Lizzy was very outgoing and loud. Johnny was gentle and kind, Lizzy was rough and a little bit rotten. But none of this seemed to matter to either one of them, they just loved hanging out together. We all figured they would be the closest of friends forever, but then the unthinkable happend. . . Pueberty! That changed everything. Although they were still friends, it wasn't the same and it wasn't an everyday kinda thing. By the time Johnny got into middle school and Lizzy was a freshman in HS Johnny was starting to pass her up in height. Occassionally they would still meet out front in the street with their skateboards and hang out (did I mention Lizzy was a tomboy when she was younger?). One day they were out there and I knew it wouldn't be long before I would not have the chance to get a photo of the two of them together and I took one of them back to back showing that Johnny was finally the taller one.
Last week Rooster and I were talking on the phone about the wedding and she said that she really needed to get a more recent photo of the kids together at the wedding. So today I made sure I took my camera so that we could make this happen. How FUN it was to see them together again. Johnny is now "John" and it a GIANT!!! Look at the picture below, Liz has on 4inch heels and is 5'8" without them. This makes her about 6 foot tall. Now look at Johnny next to her!
They are still very opposite, Johnny (he will always be Johnny to us) is still quiet and reserved and Lizzy is still not! But there is one thing they both have in common. . .they are both GREAT kids! It is crazy how times like this you realize how fast time goes by. At the wedding I got to see alot of the kids' friends from HS (Bryanna and their daughter are the same age) some of our old neighbors and other friends we have in common. It was a wonder day and a beautiful wedding!
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