Ode to Heather

This is my dear friend Heather. Or "Princess Heather" as Ruby calls her. She is one of the biggest reasons I have so many great memories from middle school and high school. She was usually the one to get our fun ideas off the ground and make them realities. She has always been the voice of reason, generous and caring. She has her priorities straight. She knows when to say things and when to hold her tongue. She has been there for me in times of need, sat me down to break unfortunate news, has organized trips to come and see me at college and PA, coming to my rescue during my hardest times. She is always willing to help in any way she can. She loves my kids and I love her for that.

We first became friends in 7th grade; we had the same TA (homeroom) and we are still close friends today.
Though I don't have any pictures from middle school, I have many pictures from high school and after that chronicles some of the fun times we've had together.

She always threw great birthday parties. One year it was on a boat sailing around Newport. We felt like rock stars.

Another year it was a bounce house in her front yard.

With a pinata in the back yard.

This is the peroxide she insisted she pour on my scraped leg that day. Don't remember how I did that--doing something stupid, no doubt.

She always added to the fun of high school.



She helped push my bus when I needed to jump start it...which was a lot.

We went to Palm Springs for our Senior trip - all planned and organized by Heather. I believe this picture was taken after I threw up. She was the one to hold my hair.

We would get together whenever we both came back from school for the summer.

She was the main push behind the trip she and 2 of my other good friends took to come and see me in Provo - a town she never, ever wanted to visit. We almost died that weekend. Seriously. I can't even think about it, it freaks me out...

She is always up for a good time.

She was there for my Bachelorette weekend...well for most of it anyway. :)

She was there long enough to buy me these red shoes as a wedding present. Don't you hate how Victoria Secret's dressing room doors lock you out?

She came out to see me in PA right after we moved here. She must have known that I needed a friend. And a babysitter for a night on the town with my husband. She learned how to give Ruby her shots and didn't even bat an eye.

She convinced her Aunt to sell my little purses in her boutique store. Bears, Buddies, and Toys! and even went out of her way to go pick one up for me, went to the post office, probably stood in line forever, just to mail it to me. She always goes above and beyond. She is getting married in a couple of months and someday will make an excellent mother. For the time being though, she'll just have to keep on spoiling my kids. :) This is Ruby and Heather at Bears, Buddies and Toys stuffing a bright pink poodle. Ruby got to pick it out. We came home from the store with our hands full of goodies from Heather: tiaras, fairy wands, etc.

And today for no reason at all we got books in the mail from her, which my girls have been looking at all afternoon. She understands my need for peace and quiet once in awhile.
How I love my friend Heather. I hope everyone has at least one friend in their life like her. Thanks for everything, G-Funk.