Thirty-two years

Thirty-two years ago today I walked into a classroom after walking to a church that had a preschool program. Thirty-two years ago today I walked in with my german neighbor who lived across the street for a year. Thirty-two years ago I met an overweight boy who took off running from school and I thought it was good for him to exercise that way. The next time we went to school I found out what a neat friend that guy was. Fast forward three years to the end of first grade; I had transferred in and knew no one in that class; I was given a partner to get to know and have them show me around the school, but I was still all alone. I remember us going to the center area (we had a team of teachers and a center carpet area where we would go for songs and games and lunch  count) and talking about storms and where we would go in case of one in the school. The teachers had us all go in to the hall for a Tornado drill; I remember getting on my knees and putting my head down on the carpet with my hands over my neck. I looked to my left and there was a face I remembered from that preschool class just a few years before.

Back then he was Danny; the little boy from preschool; after that moment we became inseparable. We went out to recess together every day and we decided that we would get married on September 5, 2000. I remember thinking back then that we would be old enough by then. LOL Well, actually at some point in preschool we had gotten married and were constantly husband and wife in the kitchen area; right down to playing cards at the kitchen table (wildest games of Go Fish ever!).

We went through fifth grade together; not always inseparable but close enough that we knew when the other was missing. Sixth grade came and we went to opposing middle schools and the spirit cheers almost went off like they were right between the two of us because we found each other in the crowds and yelled right at each other our eyes locked on one another. We didn’t get together much in those years but when we did even for just a few moments it was as though we hadn’t lost any time.

My best female friend through middle school ended up in high school with Dan; we sent a couple of notes through her boyfriend to each other when we realized we had mutual friends; we had a phone call and then that summer we had a visit. I was really surprised to find him on oxygen. We sat and shared stories and talked for hours. Our letters continued and then he asked me to prom. I declined… a decision I will always forget. Still we remained close friends.

He had a couple of bad rounds and ended up in the hospital a copule of times after high school; I spent hours on the phone with him during those days when he was bored but i never went up to see him; something told me not to… some say it may be the fact I wouldn’t come up to say goodbye that kept him going.

I met Tom and he met Dan. It was a huge deal for me to introduce them to each other. Tom got invited to Dan’s birthday party that year (Dan’s 21st) with our wedding impending. Tom fought it but he went and had a really good time. Hindsight is 20/20 and I realize now I should have asked Dan to be in my wedding party. He could have been my attendant which would have saved the choosing between my two close female friends and would have kept me from having to as Tom’s sister to be my matron of honor. It was my marriage that brought me closer to Dan. Tom pushed for us to go out and visit Dan often and bring him to our house a lot. We all got into playing Phase 10 and Uno; our games got down right violent at times because we were laughing so hard. I remember going out to Dan’s house a lot on my own too.

When Tom and I split up Dan was the one who I went to first; that was the year we first celebrated our approxomate anniversary of being friends; we guesstimated the exact date and came up with September 10 as a reasonable date. We celebrated 20 years that year. That night I told him I thought I might be pregnant… I don’t think I mentioned it wasn’t by Tom then either. The following year we didn’t celebrate together really; we had phone calls on September 11 like so many people did and maybe we exchanged greetings tehn but I don’t remember; he and his mom were supposed to babysit that day but I ended up leaving Hannah with my mom because she was staying home that day.

For our 22nd anniversary we celebrated a little early. I got him a little RC car in time for him to go to vacation and join the races up there; my car got him the Putt-putt award. I was thrilled he got a good laugh out of it.

My loyal readers remember what happened a little over two months later, but that is another entry. I’ll close with this

HAPPY 32 ANNIVERSARY DANIEL! YOU WILL FOREVER LIVE IN MY HEART. <3