Today I have decided to count my blessings and name them one by one (are you singing it with me?). One of those blessings is my BFF, Melissa (A.K.A. “Licca Lou”, “Lissy” or “MJ” – I use all these names. It is a bit insane, I know). She is going to be embarrassed that I am writing a post about her, but she will get over it!Melissa became my friend when I was 4 years old. We lived in Sutton Estates together. We lived behind one another. She was in Kindergarten at FSC and I thought her uniform was really cool. She had the best play kitchen. It was very modern for the early 1980’s and I loved playing house with her. I was very shy (hard to imagine, I know) when I was a little girl. Her family has laughed many times remembering me knocking on their back door with my head down whispering, “Can Melissa play?”
Fast Forward 5 years: Melissa had moved out of the neighborhood and I had moved onto another street in the neighborhood (We lived in 3 different houses in the same neighborhood while I was growing up…crazy!). Melissa’s family joined our church, GABC in the 5th grade. I was so excited to see her again. We were in the same Training Union class on Sunday nights. She had glasses and braces and I thought that was pretty cool (I ended up having to get glasses and I hate I wished that on myself…not cool). We had different friends but we eventually found a deeper friendship by junior high.
Our junior high years were when we became BFF. We did everything together. I remember our moms putting us on phone restrictions from one another because we would talk all night long if not! We went to different schools but remained BFF until college. Melissa would get grounded often (“God love her, but she is in a lot of trouble”) but we always managed to get around it and see one another (She is going to kill me!). We went to church together, on trips together, to camp together, had many sleepovers and then started cruising F.S. together on the weekends. We cried together, laughed together, grew together, ate many Whoppers together, went on many diets together, shrunk each other’s clothes and stole each other’s crushes. I could write a book, but I don’t have time.
College came. We went to different colleges for 2 years but talked everyday on the phone for at least an hour. Email became popular and we added that to our daily communication agenda. We were inseparable and saw each other most every weekend. I decided I couldn’t take it anymore, so I transferred to Conway and lived with her and cousin, Jill. We were only together for a year, but it was much fun. I sometimes almost pee my pants thinking about all the fun things we did together.
Boyfriends came and turned into fiancés. I feel like God had us fall in-love at the same time because He knew the other one of us would die or run the poor guy off! We did EVERYTHING together, so getting men at the same time was crucial. I am so thankful for that perfect timing.
Melissa lives 5 hours from me and has since the summer of 2001, yet we are as close today as we were when we were cruising in the Mazda, listening to Peter Cetera and drinking Route 44’s. I cherish this sweet friendship more than words can ever express. We laugh about sharing a room at the home because truthfully, we probably will.
I love that I don’t ever have to worry about our friendship; it is one of the constant things in my life. I love that she knows me inside and out and loves me just the same. I love that she knew me as a shy little girl. I love that she loved me through all my bad hair days. I love that she listens to me and remembers what I say. I love that she was my personal chauffeur for many years. I love that she prays for me daily and knows exactly how to pray. I love that she knows how to make me laugh in a way all her own. I love that she knows my mood by the tone of my voice. I love that God made us BFF’S for life!
Abby
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Melissa
AJL