Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

May 5, 2009

When I was in second grade my mom and dad were going through a trial separation that would eventually become a divorce. I was already a painfully shy kid up until that point, but when they grew apart, they also moved us out of the only home I was old enough to remember. We left our big house on Lake Isabella in the middle of Northern Michigan, aka in the middle of nowhere and uprooted our lives to a small suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I had to start over at a new school.

They are so many sayings about “Oh to be a child again, ” and “carefree days,” and this and that, but I remember being stressed out big time during my early years at West Elementary. My first day in class, the desks were arranged in pods of 4. Our name tags were set out so we would know where to sit. The white paper with “Kyle,” written across it was sitting on a desk next to “Andrew,” (who occasionally reads this blog and was the stud-muffin of 2nd grade, hi Andrew!) and across from “Matt,” and “Rob.” The pods were in groups of all boy students or all girl students and the teacher had understandably, but mistakenly sat me in an all-boy pod. I’m pretty sure I cried and my 2nd grade teacher still wouldn’t move me because there were no free seats in any of the all-girl pods. Can you imagine the embarrassment of being the new girl with a boy name and being forced to sit with boys all while your parents were going through a divorce? Stress, I’m telling you, 2nd grade stress!!!

Anyways, at that pod something miraculous happened. By accident, (I think), the boys at my pod were the smart kids. And it somehow rubbed off on me. We tested for the gifted program called Image, and that’s where I became friends with Tom, and many of my other best friends from the time, some of whom I think might even be reading this blog (Hi Nashy! And Catherine, are you still out there?!?).

From the get-go Tom brought out the competitive nature in me. If the class was assigned a 5 page story to write, he would do 20 pages and I would do 21. He teased me mercilessly and one time tried to impress me by leaning back in his chair and balancing. I vividly remember the moment he fell and how happy I was to see him hit the ground. He eventually asked me out with a little note and we “dated” or whatever it is that elementary school kids do. He was my first kiss, with a peck on the lips out back behind the baseball field at the big old tree. Shortly after we became boyfriend and girlfriend he shaved his head and I was absolutely mortified because none of my friends thought he was cute anymore. Oh the irony.

I broke up with Tom after 2 years for another guy the summer before middle school and the other guy promptly broke up with me the day middle school started. Such drama! Tom and I stayed friends though. One day he did something to make me mad though so I threw all the notes he had written me (from 3rd grade on, and by this point we were in 7th) into a trash can at a Varsity football game. It was a giant stack, because man, was Tom a writer, and he still is…

And you know how I know that? Because he proposed to his girlfriend last Saturday with an 11 page note!!! Or actually at this stage, seeing as how we’re not in elementary school anymore, you could probably refer to it as a letter. And better yet, his fiance, Sarah, just happens to be one of my very best friends in the entire world. They are actually probably the two people who had the biggest impact on my entire childhood and high school life.

I met Sarah in 7th grade. We tried out for the cheerleading team together and out of over 100 other girls we made it…well, we made the White Team (otherwise known as the Second Best Team or B Team). Sarah and I weren’t the exact same height, she was taller than me, but my arms were shorter so when you put us together we matched up perfectly to become bases (stunting partners who throw people in the air). We continued stunting together for the next 6 years, though we weren’t always on the same team, but we lived in the same neighborhood and were always close.

We’d go home together every day after school and eat junk food before cheerleading. Her sister, who at the time was a hair dresser in training, would practice on her, and about once a month I’d get a call from Sarah near tears after a too-short cut or a bad perm. I’d run through the park, cross the street and squeeze through the fence to console her in her backyard. When she had (non hair) issues of their own I would go over to hold her hand. And she squeezed through the fence, crossed the street and ran through the park to console me the day my half brother died. Call it cliche, but she was always, always there when I needed her.

Sarah and I were never best friends in the sense that we only hung out with each other, but I do think that we always understood each other better than anybody else. To this day we still have some kind of telepathy going on. A few months ago I had a dream that I wrote a toast for her wedding to Tom. Later that day we talked on a phone and she said that was where they were headed and they had just started discussing marriage. I was shocked slash completely not surprised at all! Tom had been madly in love with her since middle school and she’d been resisting his charms for so long. I thought she would never give in and realize how much he cared for her. Then, after high school, after college, she finally realized she loved him too. They’re both living in Chicago teaching right now. Life never seperated them, because they were always meant to be together.

The day Sarah told me that she and Tom were dating, like “for real,” this time, I started crying. I wanted so badly to live near them and go on double dates and celebrate with them! So you can imagine how emotional I got when I found out they got engaged. Actually, I knew that Tom was proposing before Sarah even found out (thanks Hulie!) but when I heard the story from her perspective I could barely keep it together. Two of my childhood best friends are getting married! I’m SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom proposed to Sarah with an 11 page story of their love. Well, this is my story of their love and my love for them. It might be slightly different version, but it has the same happy ending, nonetheless

* Sorry! I’m so ridiculously excited that I had to share this on the blog, even though it has nothing to do with Chile.

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16 Comments

I was the stud-muffin of 2nd grade?? I thought being a player in 1st grade had caught up with me by then. Anyway, as I remember it you were after Rob. You’d show up on the other side of the fence, Amanda Norman in tow, while we were playing soccer in his backyard. One time you called my house to talk to him!By the way, Amanda got me in trouble one time in fourth grade…I’m still incensed over that…

Comment by Ziggy — May 5, 2009 @ 5:01 pm

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Haha, I remember that! Sorry Andrew, my apologies for my 4th grade self Yeah you were the stud muffin of 2nd grade…I remember Gretchen was really pissed that I got to sit next to you…and I was just scared of you.

Wow, I had almost forgotten about Amanda Norman. Did you know she’s living in Australia now?

Comment by Mamacita Chilena — May 5, 2009 @ 5:10 pm

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AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I accidently skimmed down to the bottom, saw the punch line, jumped up and down a lot, and then tried really hard to focus and read all of the details. I had no idea Moleo and Molenkamp were back together! AHHHHH! I’m sooooo excited – they were always the perfect couple. I told Troy during my excitement; Tom has been in love with her forever, and then scrolled down to see that you said the exact same thing. When is the big day?

I loved the trip down memory lane as well. I forgot that you and Tom “went out” for so long. I am amazed at the details you remember about pods and Image. I can’t even remember who our teacher was that year!

And Andrew Z., you definitely were the stud muffin in elementary. I had a crush on you for like 3 years and Kyle and I used to sit on top of the playground slide and talk about how dreamy you were

Thanks for sharing the news!

Comment by Lindsey — May 5, 2009 @ 7:39 pm

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That’s a wonderful story!!

Are you photographing their wedding, by any chance?

Comment by Abby — May 5, 2009 @ 8:15 pm

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It’s wonderful the feeling you get from watching two people be in love. And it makes it even more special when you are close enough to those people to be able to share in that joy. It’s like an infusion of love in your own life. I love that feeling you get from it. I don’t think there is anything else in the world that compares, besides being loved like that yourself (of course!) Congrats to your friends. I wish them a long and happy filled life together.

Comment by ShawnaHanna — May 6, 2009 @ 8:22 am

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I am still here, Kyle! Oh my goodness, this is such an exciting story. It makes my heart so happy. Tell Tom and Sarah congrats for me! I’ll send you an email soon to update you on my life. Much love-

Comment by Catherine — May 6, 2009 @ 11:43 am

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This is like a high school reunion on my blog right now, I love it!

Lindsey, they haven’t set a date in stone, either the first week of August or else sometime in…I forgot already…maybe November. Soon, either way.

I have a good memory for the visual details, but for everything else, not really. I don’t remember any of our teachers names from elementary except for Mrs. Johnson and that’s only because I had her two years in a row and she was like a second mother to me. But, Nashy, the inside of your house, for example, I remember completely, like every detail. (I mean, your old house, the one with the MSU mailbox.)

Abby, I’ve offered to do it as their wedding gift, but I also told them that if they already have a photographer in mind to not feel any pressure. I know they’re a more classic couple and well…you’ve seen my style…not so classic So it’s in their hands.

Shawna, you’re right, it is like a big infusion of happiness in my life!!!

Catherine, I will pass on your congratulations! I can’t wait to hear from you…what are you up to these days????

Comment by Mamacita Chilena — May 6, 2009 @ 1:40 pm

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Sorry for intruding, but I just couldn’t help myself and not comment.
This is a lovely post! So filled with love towards your friends, so nostalgic towards your childhood and memories of home. And yet so happy. I can feel your happiness!
Thanks for sharing it and I hope you can go to the wedding and be the official photographer and then share the pictures with us, your audience.
Hugs.

Comment by Flo — May 6, 2009 @ 5:37 pm

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I love a happy ending!

(And I also moved b/c of divorce and had to “start over” in the 2nd grade. Yes, childhood memories = stress.)

Comment by cat — May 6, 2009 @ 8:09 pm

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Flo, you’re not intruding at all, you’re always welcome on this blog

Cat, it’s crazy how much that can affect a kid, isn’t it?

And to everyone, yeeeessss!!! I talked to Sarah today and I am photographing their wedding. Now I’m even more excited!!!!!

Comment by Mamacita Chilena — May 6, 2009 @ 8:38 pm

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I feel like I am crashing some kind of highschool party here. But that was adorable and they sound adorable and happy! Such a cute story (sounds like my brother and his wife…sickeningly cute!)

Comment by Deidre — May 6, 2009 @ 10:05 pm

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i’ve come across your blog a few times and really enjoy reading your entries…this one especially. what a beautiful story about your friends! i love hearing/reading/seeing true love in action.

on another note, i went through the EXACT same thing you did in 2nd grade. i had just started at a new school due to my parents’ divorce, my name is ‘genderly-ambiguous’, and i was assigned to sit with 3 other boys! my short hair and bushy eyebrows didn’t help. i had to leave you a comment because i’ve never come across anyone who’s had such a similar experience!

anyhow, thanks for posting your story. i look forward to reading more.

Comment by Anonymous — May 7, 2009 @ 7:32 am

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Your welcome, my love

<3 Hulie

Comment by Anonymous — May 7, 2009 @ 7:15 pm

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Comment by Richard — May 7, 2009 @ 10:21 pm

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Is it really dorky of me that I loved reading this whole post and the comments afterward?

I guess I’m just a sucker for happy and love that prevails stories like Tom and Sarah’s. Congratulations to them both!!

I sometimes wish my parents hadn’t moved us around so much when we were kids. I went to 4 different elementary schools and 2 jr highs… I never really got a chance to build up friendships like yours w/Tom and Sarah. I was however lucky to meet some amazing friends in high school and college, friends that to this day are still in my life and for that I am thankful.

So I only imagine your happiness over your longtime friends’ happiness! And that makes me happy.

Fned.

Comment by Fned — May 8, 2009 @ 7:31 am

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This is so beautiful, just so lovely. It's made me cry!

ps I LOVE your new blogsite, so different and so 'you'!

Comment by Eliza Claire — May 12, 2009 @ 12:08 am

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