I Promise, No Crabcakes

It didn't dawn on me until now, that fantasmo is now one year old. Crap, time flies. Last week, my wee baby sister officially could drive, and made all of us feel that much older.

But instead of tooting my own bloggy horn, I thought my time would be better spent honoring another fine Cancerian...is that even a word? hmmm.

Amanda as we all know is frolicing away in the land down under, Australia. Her flight is scheduled to land on the 4th, and we all joke nervously that she may not be coming back alone, or even at all for that matter. While I would be elated that she has found such happiness somewhere else, I can't say that I wouldn't be extremely sad. You see, to be entirely nerdy, Amanda is the yin to my yang.

The school year had just begun and I was feeling very out of sorts. The family was expanding, (read: girl who now drives was on her way) so we had to move to a new neighborhood. It was the year that my parents had placed me in Catholic school as well and I was probably a little more introverted than my usual shy self. I'm sure my parents urged me to go make new friends, but knowing me I probably just watched the neighbor kids from afar. Then one day, Amanda who was a very bubbly nine-year-old, came over with her buddy Evan to meet...my puppy. Charlie was a cute little ball of puppy fluff and I just happened to be the kid answering all of their prodding questions as they rubbed his pink belly.

I don't know how we moved past the akward phase of getting to know each other to knowing each other like sisters, but I don't really care about the hows. For years she slept across from me in my spare twin bed, and we would cry, giggle and talk our lives out as we drifted off to sleep. My parents essentially adopted Amanda as their part-time daughter, and she always holds an extended invitation to all of the family events whether I'm there or not.

Amanda is a person that has a special spark that burns brightly within her, and I always thought that I was lucky to have her as my best friend for more than half of a lifetime. Happy Birthday Amanda! And here's to half a lifetime more.