Wishful Wednesday - "I Wish I Hadn't Lost..."

It's wishful Wednesday again.  Here's the topic:

'I wish' .... I hadn't lost ______!!

I wish I hadn't lost my best friend Amy due to her family's move.

Besides my sister, my other bestie is my longtime childhood friend Amy.  She and I met the night of my birthday party in 5th grade, the night we saw "A Christmas Story".  How could a girl be so lucky to have a friend who was in my grade, AND lived right next door?!  Our rooms were even facing each other and at times we would open our windows to talk when we couldn't play.

We soon became instant best friends.  We had sleepovers, watched Miss USA, played with our Little Seaweeds, stretchy coil bracelets and rubber ones too that came in every color (by today's standards - Sillybandz).  Amy and I loved Blueberry Bubble Yum, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper (and even dressed like her on Halloween), Whitney Houston and Loverboy.  We played Swing-a-Statue and tag in the yard with the neighbor kids.  Our favorite movie was The Goonies.  Amy's mom made the best French pancakes for breakfast and macaroni salad for lunch!  We loved going to AstroWorld.  Amy put up with my love of my rainbow collection.  We started junior high together and made fun of the science teacher - Mrs. St. John and then us nerdy girls joined the Science Club so we could go on cool field trips and wear dorky visors.  We then joined Pep Squad even though that was also considered nerdy.  We started a friendship notebook that I still have.  We traded notes in between class and talked about any and everyone and we even had a crush on the same boy - Brian McMullin. 

I was devasted when I found out at the end of six grade that Amy would be moving to Dallas.  Even though that was just four hours away, it was still too far.  We would also be moving, not so far away from my childhood house but I would be going to a new school also.  I was moving away from all my friends that I had known since Kindergarten.  Seventh grade was going to be a rough year!

Amy and I kept in touch through letters and long-distance phone calls.  That's when long-distance was really expensive and we couldn't talk for long.  That was waaay before e-mails or Skype or Facebook or texting.  Wow, things would have been so much easier with all that!!  I missed her so much and luckily we got to spend a week together each summer to catch up.  I was so excited to fly to Dallas by myself on a plane to visit.  We went out on the boat, went to Six Flags, talked about boys, looked at yearbooks, drooled over Tom Cruise in Top Gun, saw Cocktail, got sun tans in the backyard, talked about our future careers and husbands over ice cream at Braum's - we were both going to be flight attendants for American and travel all over. 

Then in high school, they moved even further away to Alabama.  My dreams of getting in my car in high school and driving up to see Amy were soon gone.   We still made trips to see each other and had so much fun driving around in Amy's car, going to the mall, meeting some interesting guys and hanging out at the beach in Pensacola watching the Blue Angels! 

She was in my wedding and I was in both of hers (the first one ended in divorce and I was six months pregnant with Sydney in a bridesmaids dress for the second one and I don't have a picture of that).  I felt bad that I wasn't close by to be there for her during her divorce.  As I am typing this, I'm thinking has it really been six years since we have seen each other??  I just can't believe it. 

I am so proud of her that she is finally a mommy of an almost two-year old.  I never thought she would do it.  I'm sad that I have never seen sweet Corinne and my kids don't know her.  That's what work, kids, crazy lives and schedules have done!!  We do message sometimes on Facebook and I hope one of these days we can get together for a girls' weekend.

I miss you sooo much Amy and I'm so glad we share so many fun childhood memories together!!  In November, we will have known each other for 27 years!!  Even though distance and three states separates us, you will always be my best friend! 

Getting to see my best friend every day...that is what I wish I had not lost!!