That being said, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to talk about something HAPPY! I found out some really great news a few weeks back. Upon hearing the news, I immediately said to myself, "HOORAAYYYY FINALLY SOME HAPPY, AWESOME, EXCITING NEWS!" So I will start with this. Skip has been my best friend for almost twenty years. I have had many dear friends throughout my lifetime, but Skip takes the cake when it comes to being there for it all. We've been there for each other through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Part of the definition of a "friend" is someone you can count on. I can always count on Skip. There hasn't ever been a time when he hasn't been there for me. He's even been there for me, when he didn't know he was there for me. Like the times my Dad would find cigarette butts on the lawn and beer bottle caps in the driveway and he would question us. We would always give him the same answer. A shrug of the shoulders and a reply of "It was Skip." Somehow Skip never got in trouble with my Dad (except for that one time at work .. but we wont get into details here. We'll just say that it ended with a slap upside the head) Dad always had the ability to know when a person is good. Inside and out. Therefore, he always would cut Skip some slack. It probably helped that Skip usually greeted him with a big, dramatic, wet kiss on the mouth...(Grab your face and smooch kinda stuff) enough to make my Dad keel over in shock.. and then laughter. How could he be mad? The shock value of Skip's innocent actions always kept my Dad at bay with him. LOL! I honestly don't know what I would do without Skip's support in my life. He tells me how it is. If I am being stupid about an argument I am having with Billy, he'll tell me. "Ker, you're being stupid. I'm with Billy on this one," and vice versa. It's brutal honesty with us, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Who needs a friend to sugar coat everything? Give it to me straight. Tell me like it is!
So after twenty years of knowing someone, you get to know their family quite well. I have always said, "You can't choose your family, (Even though I got lucky in that department), but you CAN choose your chosen family!" Upon meeting Skip, I knew he had a younger brother whom my sister had dated in Junior High School (Can you even call it dating then? We use to say "going out" but yet, we never went anywhere! LOL) It lasted only a few weeks before his mother made him break up with my sister because it was Christmas and she didn't want to buy some little girl a gift. (I can totally say this because they will all laugh) Julie had already conned my mother into buying him a baseball cap... and she wasn't too pleased upon hearing the break up news. Yet, Greg didn't have the heart to break up with Julie, so he made his best friend Mikey break up with her. Best part, Julie and Mikey have been married for 5 years and have two gorgeous daughters! Long story short, through the years all of our friendship's flourished and somehow we even got our parents in on the mix. The Calamari Club was born and all the parents use to go out to dinner every Friday night. (They totally owe us for that one! If it weren't for us, they'd never had met!) I've touched on this a bit in older posts, but it's not too often that you find people in this world that have the same family values as we do. Somehow we have managed to surround ourselves with a circle of people who share our same belief, that family is a gift. To treasure it with your whole heart. The Youngs are such a family.
Through the years we all met our significant others and got married. I married Billy. Skip married Jane. Julie married Mikey. We were all part of each other's celebrations. As you may have noticed, Greg isn't mentioned here. It just took him just a little longer to realize that he was dating ALL the wrong women! LOL I'm not sure if I've emphasized that enough.... ALL the wrong, way too young, girls! We chosen family have this unspoken test. If you can bring a significant other to our Block Island vacation and they fit in, well then they are golden. Thumbs up. Until two years ago, all of Greg's girls failed miserably! But then there was Block Island two years ago when this gorgeous beauty accompanied him. Kirsten. I think we all began to see quite quickly that this was it. This was Greg's girl. This was the one! Not only is she beautiful on the outside, she's beautiful on the inside. There is no one better to compliment "my little brother" Greg. You see Greg is such a gentle soul. A laid back, I've got your back, type of guy. He doesn't get caught up in rumors or gossip. When he loves, he loves with his whole heart. He has one of the best smiles and his laugh is utterly contagious. He's kind and he's loyal. He's gentle and he is caring. He is true and he is honest. I have always said that he is a diamond in the rough. Now I say that he is a diamond in the rough and Kirsten is his gem. Together, they are a perfect pair.
Greg and Kirsten bought a house recently. The first step in beginning their lives together. Yet a few short weeks ago I got a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning. I hesitated to answer because a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning either meant good news, or bad news. I answered. Good news was an understatement! Kirsten and Greg had just found out they were pregnant with TWINS! To say that I was over the moon excited just doesn't even cut it. Amidst all the horrible things that have been happening lately, THIS is what now shines through. The GOOD in this world. The true BLESSINGS in life. THANK YOU GOD for putting Greg and Kirsten on this path. Every bone in my body knows that this is the right path for them and I am so excited to now see them have their chance to truly enjoy what I like to call, God's greatest gift.
So Greg, Kirsten, I wish you nothing short of all the happiness in this world. May your love for each other continue to grow stronger as you enter parenthood. May you always have the stars in your eyes and the smiles on your face. May you always be reminded of how very much you are loved and lastly... "May God bless and keep you always, May your wishes all come true, May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever YOUNG!"
All my love....
PS: Greg... when do you want to meet for a cup of coffee?
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