Happy Birthday Paul.....

This post is about 60 days late...but you all know i am a lazy blogger... :-)

I get teased all the time about the fact that I have multiple "best friends." It's kinda true....I have accumulated a lot because I have moved around a lot in my life. I was a military brat and moved 7 times growing up, then moved away for college in Tennessee, then moved to Atlanta, then Chicago, and now back to Atlanta. I think growing up I really hated it, but as an adult, I realize it really has shaped me into the person I am today.

There is one friend that I have known the longest...my friend Paul. We met in seventh grade, working at the concession stand in school to raise money for Student Council. Every week we had the same shift during lunch, and we have been best friends ever since. He actually took me on my first date to the Puff Daddy and the Family concert....(he was the only guy my dad trusted to take me out....i think we all know why now...wink, wink).

Our friendship is very different from others I think, because we have been friends for 15 years. He has been around for every major event of my life so far. Typically, as a military brat, you don't keep friendships that long. You move, you lose touch, but never with Paul... Since I have been back in Atlanta, we get together every week, and recently realized, after 15 years of friendship, we have never gotten in one argument.....not one.

I have tons and tons of stories of laughter and fun, and I could probably do an entire separate blog full of stories...but some things should just stay between old friends....
I do however want to take the time to thank you Paul for some very specific things throughout the years....one for every year that we have been friends:

1. Thank you for not telling our Student Council advisor that I stole 1 pack of Now and Laters every time we were in the concession shop. Well, stealing is a harsh word...i just conveniently gave myself a 50% discount for my complimentary services. :-)


2. Thank you for always engaging in ridiculous songs that we made up in honors English. In fact, you should be thanking me...now that you are a part of a music production group, it was probably my influence that got your creative juices flowing.....i'm just sayin....


3. Thank you for letting my copy your Algebra homework....you knew I sucked at math and never held that against me...


4. Thank you for convincing my dad to let me go to the Puff Daddy concert with you. It was the perfect first date, and opened the door to my entire dating experience. (it all went downhill from there)


5. Oh and speaking of that concert, thank you for buying me pancakes at Ihop after my friend Tiffany forgot where she was supposed to pick us up, and we ended up walking aimlessly around the Alamodome for hours.


6. Thank you for not telling my brother that i made out with BJ at Tre's end of the school year Pajama Party....he would have killed him and then Judson wouldn't have made it to the state championship that year! AND! He wouldn't have been alive to be an extra in that Disney movie about that college basketball team....


7. In fact, thank you for telling my parents that I spent the night at your house instead of at Tre's house that night...even though nothing happened...they would have been PISSED!


8. Furthermore, thank you for protecting me when Tre became psychotic about me years later.


9. Thank you for spending an entire Sunday looking for my lost keys after that wild and crazy night out with the "kids." Even though, it was kinda your fault...you let big Paul make me all those drinks with Vodka and Crunk Juice....i can hardly be held responsible for losing them in his couch, and making you drive back to every place we went to the night before until finally realizing around 9pm where they were.


10. Thank you for bringing our middle school yearbook to my wedding....really....thanks a lot.


11. Thank you for always finding a nice way to tell me when i look a mess....instead of just saying..."Tina....you look a mess." wait.....you do say that...so thank you for saying it in a way that never hurts my feelings...


12. Thank you for always driving 30 miles to my side of town to go to dinner. I know its a pain in the butt...but so worth it once you get here right?


13. Thank you for never judging me....EVER....when you had every right to...


14. You don't have a selfish bone in your body....thank you for that...I always know what you tell me comes from a truly loving place


15. And finally, thank you for your friendship. I can't imagine my life without it.

Happy Birthday Paul! I LOVE YOU!