So Those Spice Girls…

Basically every girl around my age remembers the Spice Girls!  The all-girl, girl-power, pop sensation band that sang some of our best memories and even made a movie!

Their songs may be outdated, and really, listening to them now, I don’t even care for many of them- but they had one thing right-

“Friendship lasts forever….and that’s the way it is!”

Lenise Willis and I have been best friends for…. (So long now that I’m double checking the years in my head right now!) at least 23 years!  Our friendship is over legal age now!  We met in kindergarten.  Somehow over all these years, with different teachers, schools, colleges, jobs, and now states, our friendship has remained intact and she has always had the status of “best friend forever. And ever.”

I mean… Just look at us: 

I actually have a similar picture from our years at Mountain Top Youth Camp, but sadly do not have it on my phone to upload.  This re-make of that classic happened the weekend of my wedding when Lenise was so graciously my maid of honor.

Her speech was wonderful and of course tearful in the best way as she happily handed her best-friend status over to my now-husband, Will Cashion.  If I had a copy of her speech, I would post it.

  
We have argued like family, laughed like crazy people, gone on ridiculous, but awesome road trips (just for donuts…dedication I tell ya!) dressed up like who even knows what, created dances, songs, and radio programs (that clearly never saw the light of day), stayed up ALL night multiple times, cried over boys, smiled over boys, cried over life, and got excited about life.  We kept our girly notes and notebooks going all through middle school because the day wasn’t complete without a “hiya! LYLAS, BFF, sup?, gtg, and doodle of a dog and a squiggly line” created with the multipack Crayola markers, gel pens, and glitter!  We had Code 5’s for life’s craziest moments when only a best friend’s time will do.  We used Walkie talkies when we discovered they would work by standing on tables outside of our houses on a chair or table (because a regular phone call was too easy, but not as cool), we have shopped, and celebrated our 21st birthdays together.
This list could continue on on for ages, but my flight is almost over and I want to add a few pictures to visually show you our friendship as well!

Ohio trip to see an old friend, Kyle Kanaga wrestle!

Dressing up because it’s not a holiday…

And dressing up for holidays!

Stretching for some seriously not serious Black Friday shopping.

 

Beach trips and a really odd thing we found on a late night walk and carried for probably a mile to get it home.  (Yes we carried it balanced on the sticks you see above!)

 

 Plain silliness!

 

First night moved in /living in my first house!

And of course asking this lady to be my maid of honor:

We may not talk as often as we would like, and we certainly don’t get to visit as often as we would like, but this friendship HAS stood the test of time and isn’t changing!

So this weekend we celebrate by doing the one thing neither of us has ever done before, but the one most fitting adventure for our cooky and lively friendship..

DISNEY WORLD!

I can’t wait to be a kid with you for a few days to celebrate 23 years! (Hopefully I have that number right!)

Thanks for being my best friend and I’ll see you soon…. So long as I don’t get lost driving to get you!