Birthday Wishes for GR - Old(er) But Good(er)

Happy Birthday to one of my most favorite people on the planet. I know this is two days after the fact, but you did not expect me to have it posted on time did you? No, you didn't. We have been friends for so long that you know the drill by now. But I did not want to miss the chance to tell you all the reasons (OK, some of the reasons) I love you so much and am wishing this year is your best year yet.

1. My brother still talks about when you would come over to my parents' house and do back flips in our front yard. I am not sure if it was the fact that you could DO a back flip, which is a cool accomplishment in and of itself, or that you were wearing your cheerleading skirt while doing so and he could see your underpants -- I'd bet 99/100th underpants, 1/100th admiration for the physiology of acrobatics. Whatever the case, you made quite an impression on his malleable little mind.

2. When my high school boyfriend and I broke up, you never failed to declare an immediate Code Red state of emergency. You'd enact drastic measures: skipping class and driving me to 7-11 (because you were the one with the car) to stockpile emergency rations of chocolate and fried salty goodness. Even though it was the 18th time high school boyfriend and I had broken up. That week.

3. How you refused to buy light bulbs for our ghetto-fabulous grad school townhouse, claiming that you were never there, therefore, "you did not use all the light bulbs up." Good argument - perhaps you should have been the lawyer? At the time, as I stumbled around in the dark, stubbing body parts on the few furnishings we owned, I wanted to ring your neck. I was, of course, too stubborn to break down and go to Home Depot my damn self. Now - eight years later - LightBulbGate makes me smile.

4. How you are the most warm, patient mom in the entire world. I envy that. Your girls are lucky to have you. I'll be sure to remind them of that when they are teenagers.

5. How when Ethan fell and gashed his head on the fish tank at school, you stayed with me on the phone on the way to the hospital and then offered to come over and staple his head so we did not have to wait at the ER. Only a very good friend would offer to staple your kid's head.

6. How you do not drink, but put up with me when I do (and then offer me a ride home).

7. How when we lived at the beach (when you DID drink), you would come home (tipsy) from waitressing at 2 a.m. and strap on your Rollerblades. Most people get a little buzz and come home and eat Doritos; you'd come home and rollerblade 40 miles to Delaware.

8. How even though we have lunch every week and I am fifteen minutes late without fail, you never get mad. You simply bring a magazine with you and then fill me in on all the celebrity gossip I need to know about.

9. How you are the smartest person I have ever met (K - you are a super-close second - no offense, but you know it is true - G is a genius in the true sense of the word). How you studied for your MCATs on the beach - in a bikini - while taking breaks to apply suntan oil and admire the lifeguards, then rocked the exam. How in medical school, we would study at the Renaissance instead of the library (yum - nibbly things!) and then you would rock the exam. How even though you are crazy-scary smart, you are still one of the most fun people I know and can make me laugh until coffee sprays out of my nose. Smart/Fun is a rare and incredible combination.

10. How you are so freakin' laid back: even when it comes to the "big stuff." I have a vivid recollection of studying in our ghetto fabulous house. You were upstairs, I was downstairs at the kitchen table. I heard gunshots outside - not an unusual occurrence in our neck of the city woods - but these were CLOSE. I yelled upstairs, "I heard gunshots - should I call 911?" To which you replied, "I am sure the police are busy - were the shots INSIDE the house, or just outside?"

Love you bunches - Happy Birthday to my favorite ditz twin.