My bestest friend in the whole wide world + Rascal Flatts?!

ONE WORD...

EPIC.

   
Okay maybe not as "epic" as when we were 21, footloose and fancy free, but for a couple of young 30-year-old's, one of whom is a mom and the other a teacher, the fact that we were out on a *Sunday* night for happy hour &the Rascal Flatts concert, then home by 1130pm/midnight...well, *that* my friends is EPIC.

L: Junior year of high school R: Kickin' Cancer Party

Mischa and I have been friends since about the 8th grade, so just about 14 years of age...32 minus 14 is 18 years!  It's absolutely stunning to realize that we have been friends through thick and thin, good times and bad, periods of joy, periods of sorrow, and life-changing events on both sides for over half our life.

#Crazy.

Two "Lion's Leap" outfits and our band uniform

We were inseparable in high school, she was the Tuba Goddess, and I was the Drum Line "B!tch" (yes that was my nickname given to me with love by the Line; don't tell me you're shocked! ;)  She ran with the "Hicks" throughout her time at LHS, whereas I was the band geek/school geek girl on the swim team trying to be cool chick, yet she was my bestest friend in the whole wide world, and I hers.



Over the course of our friendship we have hit a rocky patch or two, but we have *always* come out stronger for it on the other side and that is a true friendship.  There are things that I only share with her because she "gets me".  There are things she shares only with me because I know the truth behind the story and I'm not afraid to smack her upside the head with the usual "No ding-dong, this is what you need to do and you know it", and thankfully she does the same for me.

Everyone should have a bestest friend in the whole wide world; a friend like Mischa.  Someone who knows you *so* stinkin' well it's like staring in the mirror.  Someone who no matter where life takes you, no matter how much you grow up, nor how many weeks you go without seeing each other, it doesn't matter because they are truly your other half.

Prom May 1996

Our wedding June 2005

From pre-teen fantasies to squealing about boys, marching in the band, first boyfriend's, teenage angst, parent woes, Prom, after-Prom, Lion's Leap, winter formal, to coasting Mass Street with the top down listening to Spice Girls and "smoking" a cigarette cause we thought we looked cool (I say "smoking" cause I'm pretty sure we mostly held it).  From parental divorce trauma, to those early college days; a year of not talking because we were both too stubborn to admit our faults, to reuniting our two halves of a whole again.  

Puberty, wild college days, turning 30, marriage, divorce, babies, and now cancer; there's not much we haven't been through, and there's no one else I would have rather traveled this journey with.
  


As we've gotten older and become more "adult", our lives leave us precious little space to spend time together.  We live about 45minutes apart from one another, which isn't that far granted, but with my busy school schedule and her two kiddos and new hubby keepin' her busy, we don't get much "face" time anymore.  


But we always make time for Rascal Flatts!

I think it started about six years ago with my first *real* concert.  I've never been a "concert goer".  Prior to this one, the only one I'd ever been too was Bela Fleck and the Flecktones the winter after I graduated from high school. I was never big into concerts because I didn't understand why someone would want to spend all that money to just go see something that 9 times out of 10 sounded better on the CD anyways.  That was until I saw RF open for Kenny Chesney that summer.  I was transfixed.  I was hooked.  I had to go again.

Rascal Flatts 2011

Ever since that concert it became our "thing" to go see the Flatts in concert whenever they were/are here in KC.   I'll be honest and tell you that I wasn't sure how long I was going to last, Sunday night.  As my wonderful husband would attest, I have the circadian rhythm of a 70 year old...no offense but it's true.  I tend to fall asleep around 8:30 because I get up for gosh forsaken early (4:30am) and on the weekends I tend to fall asleep around 930 and wake up around 7.  What can I say, it's the way I'm wired anymore.  So I was a little concerned when we bought the tickets because the concert was on a Sunday night, but we partied like mature, adult, responsible rock stars ;), and it's another good memory in the books. ;)


So thank you my dear for putting up with me all these years.  You are truly the bestest friend a girl could have, a wonderful mother, a loving wife, and a beautiful woman inside and out.  I am grateful to have you in my life.

"Good night sweet heart well it's time to go,

Doh, doh-doh-doh.

Good night sweet heart well it's time to go,

Doh, doh-doh-doh.

I hate to leave you but I really must say,

Oh!

Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight!

Doh-doh-dee-oh-doh-dee-oh-do"

Love ya babe.  I'll talk to you later ;)