"My Best Friend's Wedding"

My best friend Daniel (Danny, as I will probably always call him) and I were born three days apart.  He has always loved to rub it in my face that he is older, which seems so silly now with our 30th birthdays looming less than two weeks away (Insert Ominous Theme Music Here!).  Back then adulthood seemed like a distant dream you couldn't quite grasp (Freedom!) but now the dream is to go back to being irresponsible and free from bills, debts, jobs and tough decisions.


When we were babies we shared everything: babysitters, bottles, baths and cribs.... Many people thought we were twins and when together we were often treated as such....  When we grew a little it was obvious we weren't twins but most assumed we were siblings.


As kids we played together, fought each other, cried about it, learned to share together. We were Best Friends by default because our moms were best friends but most of the time that was a good thing.  One of my earliest memories is of watching 4th of July fireworks with Danny laying on the hood of their family car, I had to have been three or four.  I have many fond memories involving his family from my childhood.

Our mothers had met a year or more before our births.  His mother confronted mine with the accusation that she was having an affair with Danny’s father.  My mother was not, thank goodness, having an affair with his dad and after sorting the whole mess out Cindy and my mother became close friends. 

Apparently once a week our parents would all get together and have taco nights where they would hang out eating tacos and drinking Cervezas (Beer for those that live in a closet and are unfamiliar with the Spanish word); I'm sure some margaritas joined in all the fun as well. 
Considering the proximity of our births, Danny & I were probably conceived one evening after one of the aforementioned taco nights…

"That will forever be known as the Taco Night to end all Taco Nights!   EPIC TACO!  Two little troublemakers were spawned!  (Don’t try this at home folks!)"

At about 14 or so I had gotten involved with the "wrong crowd",  I was raising hell and causing my mother to produce more than a few grey hairs. When my trouble got too big for her, .my mother announced that she was sending me to live with my biological father (whom I hadn't known until about a year before and wasn't fond of). In protest and defiance, I packed up a bag and hit the road. 

I was gone for 6 days while there was snow on the ground and storms dumping more almost every night.  Those were 6 long days and not the best memories to conjure.  I put myself in a few situations that were not fun, hung around with many questionable people and  some bad things happened that I would rather not talk about.  However, when I finally returned home, I learned that  I had won that battle.  I didn't have to move to Sedro-Woolley (hick town in Washington) to my father’s house but I would move to Oak Harbor to the Fisher's House instead.

So once again as teenagers, Danny and I  were thick as thieves, partners in crime and boy did we cause trouble. Still best friends but now we were foster brother and sister as well; we were the oldest two of six kids which bore a lot of responsibilities not to mention the 10+ dogs to care for as Cindy breed and raised Pomeranians at the time.. Danny weaseled out of most of daily chores while I worked hard (sometimes hardly working) trying to help Cindy and Bill but still found plenty of time to get busted doing stupid shit.

Between school, work, housework, punishments Danny and I would watch the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" which we loved. It’s funny that we even liked that movie because it is a total chick flick and neither of us willingly watch sappy crappy movies.  We always said if we turned 30 and weren't happily married or close to it that we would marry each other.  30 seemed so far off then and now, 30 is days away and it seems that time has just flown by, weren’t we teenagers just yesterday? 

*** On A Side Note ***

Danny, Kenny (Danny's brother who was a year younger than us) and I would sneak out to the living room at night and secretly watch South Park (an animated show on comedy central with foul language and raunchy humor) which we were expressly forbidden from watching. A few years ago at Kenny's funeral we laughed while remembering those times and how Kenny would pull his hood down and mimic South Park Kenny's muted ramblings so well. Kenny was killed in Iraq while fighting for our country, he was a strong man that we lost way too soon but he died a hero. We miss our goofball brother Kenny, who could get a laugh even at the most inopportune times. You couldn't ever stay mad at him long because he would make a face or spit some wise ass remark that would make you bust up laughing.

Later in High School Danny went to live with his biological father in Spokane and I moved back with my mom in West Seattle.  Cindy and Bill and the other kids moved to California (after Bill retired from the Navy) then to Bay City Michigan, where they live now.

Both Danny and I had failed first marriages which both came about because of unplanned pregnancies. Woohoo!  You have to love a good old fashioned shot gun wedding!!! 

Unfortunately, Neither wedding was attended by the other. His marriage lasted far longer than mine and happened earlier in life but both ended, thank goodness because had they continued, I would be worried about our sanity! We did however get amazing sons out of the spoiled marriages, Danny has two boys Tanner & Reece and I have Jamison!

And now for the happy ending:

I received an invitation to Danny and Lisa's wedding reception last week. Instantly I thought “Yeah I finally get to go to his wedding!!” Then I realized that they are getting married in Jamaica then having a reception in Spokane. BOOHOO!  So I don't get to attend the actual wedding but I will hopefully be able to make the reception.

The best part of this story is that I believe both Danny and I have found the people we are supposed to spend our lives with.  He found Lisa who seems perfect for him and I hear nothing but good things about. (I can't wait to actually meet her!!!)

To Danny and Lisa- I am so glad you guys have found one another. I hope you have the most amazing wedding and a relaxing honeymoon in Jamaica (Jealous)! I wish you guys a long happy marriage with lots of reasons to keep those smiles on your faces! Lots of Love, Stacy

And, I have found Johnie, who is perfect for me and puts up with all my shit. Our road has been bumpy but eventually we will be saying "I do" and
when we do it will be that much more satisfying because we had to work so hard for it.

I must find a copy of My Best Friend’s Wedding to give them at the reception!!!  :)

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