thetrueprofessional: Forever Friends

In May of 1981 when I was 12 years old and in 7th grade my parents made the decision that we would move closer to their business. That meant moving about 20 miles from where we were living. When you are 12 that seems like the other side of the planet. I was nervous about leaving the only house I had ever known, the friends I had for years and being "the new kid." My mom thought moving with about 6 weeks of school left would help us adjust and have friends for the summer so she decided to not drive us back and forth to our old school but to have us transfer as soon as we moved. Again at that time that did not seem right too me.

If I had only known what the move, or should I say, who the move would bring me I would not have been so nervous. Within just days of moving to 115 Smith Avenue I met the two most amazing friends a girl could ask for. Suzanne and Tom (he was Tommy back then).

Suzanne lived on "our corner" and when I say our corner - I mean OUR corner. You see when we were growing up there weren't cell phones, e-mail or any of the other technologies we have today. When you were on the phone you were standing in the kitchen, talking on a phone that was on the wall and dare I say it - not cordless!!! So you really didn't have much privacy. The corner was where Suzanne and I would meet to discuss all of our "crucial" life issues that we didn't want anyone else to hear about. We still talk about all of our crucial life issues - but now we can do that without meeting on the corner.

Tom's parents owned the Horse Barn next to my parents 7-11. Our parents became the best of friends and so did we. He was always fun to be around. We worked together in his parents concession stand and in my parents 7-11. We did that so we would be done quicker and could go do fun things. When some kids enter their teen years they want to be as far from their parents as they could get, we didn't. My parents were so, so strict so I wasn't really going anywhere. But having a friend like Tom when my parents had company or when we went to their house was just like me picking who I wanted to hang out with.

Together the 3 of us had amazingly good/fun times!!! We bowled, went rollerskating, listened to music, attended family functions, and basically were always there for each other. Even when our lives took us in different directions we could always count on each other.

Here is another great thing - all of our spouses get along well too. Talk about a blessing.

Currently I live in Charlotte, NC - Tom lives in Havelock, NC - and Suzanne lives in Port St. Lucie, FL - but we all know in our hearts we are just a phone call away.

When our kids were on Spring Break my family and Tom's family took a road trip to visit Suzanne and her family. We had a GREAT time. When the three of us were back together it was like miles and years were never between us. Such a feeling of comfort. Tears were certainly shed when we had to leave. Here is the best part - all of our kids love each other and get along as well as we did!!! It brought me great joy to see them all playing together.

We weren't gone for an hour and Tom was already trying to figure out how we could all meet in Myrtle Beach or somewhere else convenient to all of us. Who knows we may just invite ourselves back to Suzanne & Bob's house - can't beat that weather!!!

I am so, so thankful that God has kept the three of us together. I am not sure I would have made it through some of the things life has thrown at me without these two.

Me and Suzanne - the beautiful background is in front of her house.

Here we are - the three amigos. Suzanne, Tom & Me