Ten Things I Love About You...

Today is the anniversary of the death of my good friend, Amy.  Growing up she was one of my best friends.  She was taking from us way too early.  Although, honestly, isn't that the case for everyone that dies?  In remembrance of her, I dedicate this post to the 10 things that I remember and love about her. I find it hard to limit it to 10 things, but here goes...

Amy

10 Things I Remember and Love About You

1. Your laugh. When you found something very truly humorous, which was quite often, your laugh was loud and infectious.  It is clearly something that stood out for me as I continued to hear it in my dreams for months after your death.  I can no longer remember what it sounds like and I no longer dream of it, but I can still see you laughing and it never fails to make me smile.
2. Your mad tennis skills.  Or should I say bad?  Every day in the summers of grade school, and even high school, we would play "tennis" in the street.  This involved us spreading out over half a block and hitting balls back and forth to each other.  Of course, this actually involved each of us having to chase missed balls for another half of a block and having to move every 10 minutes for traffic.  But with the boombox by our side, those were the best lazy summer days.
3. Your love for your children.  Never have I met someone who wanted to be a mother more than you.  Just out of high school, you thought a pregnancy scare was the greatest thing, until it turned out to be false. When your first daughter came along, you were in heaven and so in love with her.  The same would be true of your second daughter some 9 years later. One of the saddest days in your life was the day you found out your second daughter would be your last.  You loved your girls with every fiber of your being and they both know it.
4. Our summer memories. Whether it was playing tennis, driving around with your boyfriend in his Nova (and never making me feel like a third wheel) or taking your boombox and walking endlessly in the neighborhood, you always made the summers special.  I always waited for you to arrive at your grandma's house so that "real summer" would begin.  And when you left, it was like the sunshine went with you.
5. Your ability to keep our friendship special.  Even when you were not around, we would exchange cards, letters and even comic strips from the newspapers.  It was always fun to receive mail from you and now I have those to look back at, read and cherish.  Our friendship was so natural that we could go months without talking or seeing each other, yet pick right back up where we left off without a word.
6. Your Mustang.  This was your very first car and you would drive one hour each way to pick me up on the weekends and take me out to your house to hang out. Of course by "hanging out" I mean partying, drinking, and making out with boys.  Shhh...my mom reads this blog.
7. Your loves.  Many men came and went in your life.  You threw yourself wholeheartedly into each relationship with such passion, it left me envious. Within days or weeks of meeting someone, you would be so entwined and entangled, I would wonder if you would ever survive the break up.  But you did.  And the level of love and caring that went into those relationships was evident.  Even though it was a good 20 years since you last saw Nova boy, he was just as devastated to hear of your death as I was.  That's love and you had plenty to give.
8. Your boys.  Aside from the great loves of your life, there were always the boys the came and went. Usually they just served to amuse us. Like Henry and the note he wrote you that read "Do you want to kiss me? Check yes or no. If yes, do you want to french kiss me? Check yes or no."  That level of poetry doesn't happen often you know.   Then, of course, there was that fine lad that decided to flash us as we were walking down the street and he was driving by in his mustang. Wait.  He was an adult. Pervert!  Oh and that Korean kid that could not speak English and threw a note at you that involved a drawing of a naked stick figure girl and some sticky substance contained on the paper. Enough said.
9. Your dedication to becoming a nurse.  It took you a while. You strayed off the path, but you found your way back.  And nothing makes me prouder than the picture of you in that hat.  When you and your aunt graduated together, I don't think a family could have been happier.  I loved that I could ask you my crazy irrational health questions and you would try to answer them even though they were off the wall.  I loved how at your shower you remarked how everyone looked like what they were - you and your aunt were nurses, I was the lawyer.  I loved how being a nurse offered you a schedule to spend quality time with your girls.
10. You.  Every single thing about you that is not on the list.  That would include the bad times, the betrayals, the tears, and the heart ache.  Every thing about you made you who you were, and made you my best friend.

Rest in Peace, Love

Amy B.

March 18, 1972 - January 8, 2006