Brookie it's your birthday!

...happy birthday Brookie!



26 is the age of my dear friend Brooke this day. I actually "borrowed" that pic up there from her own blog. ha ha. I'm cool. But i think she looks absolutely lovely in it, don't you?

Brooke and I have been friends for many years now. About 12, i'd say. Does that sound right to you? One of the earliest memories I have of Brooke is in the 8th grade when i was in my English class. We were reading the play See How They Run and the teacher had assigned parts to various kids in the class. Brooke wasn't in this class with me and I didn't really know her. The girl who'd gotten the part of the maid in the in-class reading was pretty good, i thought. So when I heard that Brooke Smith got the part in the actual school play, I thought no way can she be as good as the girl in my class (who'd tried out for that part too, by the way). Then, I saw the play. And you know what? Brooke was good. Brooke was better than the girl in my class, whose name was Jodie, in case you're wondering. (One of my abilities is remembering odd, very random and mostly useless details about my past--like the birthday of a kid in my 6th grade class. December 12, if you wanted to know.)

From then on I knew that not only was Brooke good in that play, but she was good at basically everything she tried. And she did them with determination and vigor. Being someone who's looked at many tasks with a sort of half-a attitude, i really admire that in Brooke. We had journalism together in 9th grade and that's when we really got to be good friends. Our senses of humor became fast friends and how could we keep them apart? So Brooke and I followed suit, easily and quickly. She is so stinking funny, did you know? she has made me laugh to tears. She's also absolutely brilliant. Always a good student and always wanting to learn and do well in school. She loved it when we'd tease her saying, "Where's your book, Brooke?" ha ha. Brooke is crafty and likes to learn new skills. She's fun and smart and I like talking to her. She's also a really good friend and treats you well. The following is a list of a few fond Brooke memories:

1. In our newspaper class when Brooke and I co-wrote the article "Pogs Invade Mountain Ridge." Now that was just good journalism. Also, in that class, when we were using the spell check (probably for that article) and the closest thing to my last name was the word Scrubby. Brooke laughed with glee and somehow many many people in school were calling me that afterward. Darn you Brooke!

2. Ok, one more journalism class memory: I was wearing leather shoes and I guess the oh-so pleasant softness interfered with Brooke's ability to retrieve the right word--or textile--because as she petted my shoe, she said, "Ooo...rubber!" No...no, not rubber, Brooke. Leather. Sucker! :P

3. In high school for a time, Brooke and I had kind of a crazy crush on a one Jon Schaak who was on the basketball team. We thought he was devastatingly handsome and did we stoop to even following him?? I don't know. But we both definitely had "Jon Schaak" radars. And once at a school dance, I had him ask Brooke to dance. Ha! Remember that? He had a girlfriend at the time, who i think hated us, but c'mon. it was just a crush. Wow.. we were kind of pathetic.

4. Hanging out for hours waiting in line for the original Star Wars when it came back to the theaters. Remember playing Hearts and that guy looking at my cards really closely over my shoulder?

5. One time in high school, we got this big sparkley bouncy ball from somewhere. I don't even remember where. But we loved it and brought it with us everywhere. it was like our pet and we named it Sparkles. One time Brooke and I went to the Purple Turtle for some good greasy food and I lost Sparkles there. I think i dumped it in the trash. Sorry, brooke, again for that. I still feel bad. May Sparkles be bringing laughter and joy to kids elsewhere.

6. "Operation Yarn" and getting Matt Hunsaker to ask Brooke to prom. Mission accomplished.

7. Remember your Aerobie, Brooke? We'd bust that thing out all the time. During lunchtime at school, at the park later on... good times.

8. I recall one night at a Fab Five sleepover where we went to Albertsons at 2am looking for fun and fun we found. We ran around the store taking pictures of us doing silly things like being trapped inside a freezer window or pretending to work behind the bakery counter. I recall me putting a leash on and pretending to eat spilled dog food. That seems a lot kinkier than what had even occurred to me at the time. Oh well. It was a blast.

9. Visiting Brooke at her job at Zuka Juice.

10. Wendy's and the Yogurt Parlor. need I say more.

11. Amy and I used to play on the city league basketball team and Brooke would come to our games ALL the time. She was our biggest cheerleader. She did this all the way through college and intramural games. What a gem, I tell you.

12. Freshman year was a pretty crazy time of life, wasn't it? I remember talking with Brooke about the transition and how it felt weird not to feel like we belonged anywhere. We lived in limbo, halfway in and out of home and school. We've all since felt that feeling several times, but I think that was the first time i'd significally felt it and Brooke was there to share and discuss it with me. But aside from that, how big of a party was freshman year, really. Too much fun.

13. Brooke and I went to see the movie Tarzan and remember how Tarzan and jane have this moment where they put their palms together and i guess it's kind of a tender moment. i don't know. Anyway, after the movie we unfortunately witnessed a couple doing that and we were dying. Laaaame! Brooke said something like, "Ohhh how romantic! I wish I could find an ape man!" Busted me up.

14. When we stood in line for several hours in that bitter February to get 2 spots of the coveted Monticello Apartments. We got them! Yeah!

15. All of the good times hanging out at college. Gosh, that was fun. We'd meet up on campus and buy a bag of chocolate covered raisins and eat then while people-watching. We would go to dinner at Brooke Oven (Brick Oven--i still can't call it that. Brooke Oven is my natural tendency) and spend many an hour pool-sidin' in the back. There are so many college memories, they should be their own post. I can't possibly put everything up. But it was great. So very fond.

16. Brooke graduated December of '01 and moved out. She stayed a month or so at home before moving out to D.C. and that was a very sad time. i remember hanging out that last night before she left and trying not to think/talk about it. We were all smiles and laughs but when we said bye and I shut the door, i admit, i cried. I was excited for her new adventures, but I missed her a lot.

Brooke is a great great person. She's just high quality. We have been through a lot together--all those transitions, friends getting married, deaths of loved ones, boys, (well, we didn't share boys, per se... just our own experiences. :) ) And you know what else? I am so so so proud of Brooke. She has accomplished so much in her life. She kicked BYU's butt, got a sweet job in D.C. and lived there for a year and a half'ish, tore it up at USU, and with every new thing she does, she accomplishes it like a champion. I am in awe, really. Brooke, cheers to you on your birthday. Thanks for being such a good friend. You're a keeper. For sure. :) Love you!