My BFF Beebe

Photo: Beebe and Ali -- BFFs 2007
Location: Em's House

Nearly 27 years ago, I met a redhead who was at least a foot taller than me, and we became BFFs in about five minutes time. It was one of the best decisions I ever made and I was only four. She has remained a foot taller than me between then and now, and she is still one of my favorite people in the whole world. Every year on May 31st, we talk for her birthday without fail (except when she was in Spain for her mission), and it's been four years since we last saw each other. I had her here for a little over four days, and it just wasn't enough.

Photo: BFFs in 1981
Location: Athens, OH

In our lifetime, we have had matching hair, eyes, Princess Leah braids, birth orders, cheerleader skirts, rainbow shoes, siblings, sundresses, and now husbands (who knew we had the same taste in men). It wasn't quite the life we had planned out for ourselves at eight. We really wanted to have neighboring ranches with all the same farm animals, and marriages to two boys in our second grade class whom we had no intention of kissing. Ever! Fortunately none of those plans worked out because we really like the lives we're living instead. And we do like to kiss our husbands a whole lot.

We have many of the same interests and ideas about all sorts of things, from gardening to an LDS woman's role in 2007. We know how to do a lot of the same things. We're both really good at them, and we know it. We also both remember a lot of stuff about the last 27 years, so reminiscing is buckets of fun. We're both bossy and fine with it since that's how things get done (although me much more than her).

Alternately, we are just different enough to compliment each other quite well. She's extremely difficult to locate most days, but when you find her, she's really there for you. I am wicked easy to find. She's much gentler with people's feelings and better with little kids than me. I tend to be more bold and take up the whole room wherever I go (I realize I just called myself a drama queen). Because of this, we're great at a club together, and with Emily's in-laws, it turns out.

While she was here, we accidentally had a slumber party until 4AM one night. Conrad and Scott were sound asleep, and we picked up right where we left off four years ago. It's what we do. We always pick up where we left off. It's one of my favorite things about our friendship.

Photo: Auntie Beebe and Little Hyrum
Location: Em's House

Beebe is my hero. Not only did she stay up all night to catch up on much needed girl talk, she also has the stamina of ten men. She kept up with her cute toddler, her adorable infant nephew, her sister (okay, she's cute too), her sister's MIL, and sometimes her sister's BIL. Believe me, I tried like nobody's business, but I slept through all the early morning crying. I nearly fell asleep at Emily's dining room table during a game I was playing, on Em's couch while babies were fussing, on Em's toilet while I was... well, you know, and on the large yoga ball in Em's living room. Beebe just silently went behind everyone and cleaned up the house, quieted babies, and made a pot roast. She also taught us some marvelous baby calming tricks to keep us all going for the next few months of team Hyrum.

She's so fun and funny. I love how she puts the word "little" in front of everything (little mother, little baby, little gal, little car) and I love that she pluralized Bean's name into Beans. It was so delightful and comical that I couldn't correct her because I wanted her to keep saying it. Scott and I have been calling the cat Beans since she left. She's also a fantastic guest. She cleans up behind herself and is very courteous, but she was willing to make herself at home in my home, which makes me endlessly happy.

Photo: Conrad Trendy
Location: My Car

I think she's the kind of mother I want to be. She's so good with Conrad. She never gets riled up when her high-energy kid nose dives off the couch onto the hardwood floors. She expects him to be as responsible as he's able (he'll give anything back to someone if he thinks they need it more than him). She gets down on the floor to play with him. She teaches him so many things on his level. She is a fantastic mother. She puts Conrad first, but she takes time for herself. She makes it look so easy even though it's harder than almost anything.

Photo: Cousins -- One Nakedy, One Clothed
Location: Righters House

Having her here just made me remember how much I miss her. I wish she lived here, but I'm glad she's happy where she is. She is one of the few people I can spend infinite amounts of time with and not get annoyed. She was the best roommate I ever had in college. We have had two fights in our lifetime and they both occurred when we were five. We're just a good fit. She left Saturday afternoon and I can't wait to talk to her on the 31st when she turns 31. Beebe's great and I adore her.