34 Years of Love and Friendship is Only the Beginning.

September 1976. That's when I first met him.

Doug.

One of those people that, though you don't realize it at the time, will become an important, constant, and lifelong friend.

I love Doug. I've loved him since the day I first met him. That was nearly thirty-four years ago and it's gone by in just a little more than a wink.

It was the first day of 7th grade for us. We shared a math class. Mr. Toler's math class. Mr. Toler liked to sit kids in alphabetical order. Doug's last name started with "E" and mine started with "F". He sat right in front of me. I was in heaven. Doug was cute, shy, and once I got to know him, very quick witted and fun.

We hit it off and became friends. Great friends. The kind of friends that write each other silly notes, and share a locker, and eat lunch together every day, and gossip, and giggle, never get tired of talking. The best of friends. We stayed friends all through high school, and beyond.

7th grade

8th grade

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

seniors at last! (1982)

Way, way, WAY beyond!

Doug has been part of my life for so long, and we've shared so much over the years. We've attended reunions together, we've taken vacations together, he came to Bear's high school graduation, ....you name it!

Getting ready to go to our 20th high school reunion

On our first cruise together, in Oct, 2002.

On my 40th birthday cruise, 2003.

Bear's graduation, June 2004.

Being silly on a cruise, Nov, 2004.

Buddies through thick (look how thick I was!) and thin. March, 2006

After the 3 Day walk, Nov, 2006.

Our 25th reunion, July, 2007.

Oh, sure, we've had our moments....just ask him and he's happy to tell you and EVERYONE about the time I made him cry on the way home from a school Disneyland trip. (It's his favorite story to tell new people I introduce him to. I make him cry once in 34 years, and he doesn't let it go. It was all over some girl he was flirting with and it hurt my feelings...and I threw some candy at him...some "Red Hots" or "Hot Tamales" if I remember correctly...but of course that's just my version of the story...)

Anyway...he's made me cry plenty of times in the last 34 years! Like the time he surprised me and showed up on my 40th birthday cruise. You see, Doug lives in Seattle now, and I certainly didn't expect him to come for a weekend cruise just to celebrate my birthday. I was wrong, he was there.

Or the time he was waiting for me at the end of the first 3 Day Walk I did. I cried for so many reasons that day, one of them being joy at seeing him there at the end of that day, waiting for me.

There have been many other times as well, and nearly all have been happy tears. A wonderful friend will do that for you. I remember getting a 20th anniversary card in 1996 from him, celebrating 20 years of our friendship. How cool is that?

The most recent time Doug made me cry was July 24th, at about 10pm. That day I had posted a blog about walking in the 3 day, and my friend Dena who lost her battle with breast cancer, and all of the others I walk for. Doug, once again, did something I completely didn't expect. He made a donation towards my 3 Day Walk Fundraising efforts. Now, he'd already made a $100 donation as soon as I'd told him I'd signed up to walk again this year. (He has supported wholeheartedly every year I've walk.) But on the 24th, he went above and beyond what I would have ever imagined. He was touched by my post, so he went to my site, and he saw what my personal goal was ($2500) and he made a donation that brought me up to my goal! A $420 donation! I was, to say the least, shocked, thrilled, and humbled.

I am undeserving of such kindness, and such an incredible friend. I am so blessed to have him in my life. I am so lucky he has put up with so much of my drama and crap throughout the years.

Doug is, without a doubt, one of the truest, kindest, most honorable, and loving people I know. My life is better because he is part of it. He is nonjudgmental, he always has a strong shoulder, and an open mind. He is willing to listen, and offer advice, but is never one to throw things back in my face. I've told him my most intimate of secrets, and he has been my closest confidant in some of my toughest times.

He is, without a doubt, a one in a million friend, and I am so very lucky he is mine. He is as close to being a member of my family as anyone could be without sharing the same parents, or saying vows.

I love you Doug! Thank you for all you've done, and all you continue to do, and here's to many, many more years of our friendship growing!