Transformation Tuesday: The Oklahoma Girls

“The thing about old friends is not that they love you, but that they know you. They remember that disastrous New Year's Eve when you mixed White Russians and champagne, and how you wore that red maternity dress until everyone was sick of seeing the blaze of it in the office, and the uncomfortable couch in your first apartment and the smoky stove in your beach rental. They look at you and don't really think you look older because they've grown old along with you, and, like the faded paint in a beloved room, they're used to the look."  ~Anna Quindland

Today our transformation series continues with the Oklahoma Girls.

In college I met these two tall sorority girls from Oklahoma.  I thought Loud Oklahoma Girl was quiet and that Blonde Oklahoma Girl was just some barbie-looking city girl.  I was wrong on both accounts.  Fortunately for me, God (and Miss Pink Boots) knew what we needed.  And that was each other.

Homecoming 2006 / LOKG's Wedding 2012

We were friends during college, but somehow it wasn't until we left OSU that the friendship transformed into a sort of sisterhood.  When we were states away from each other, our bond grew stronger.  

We've grown up together--found jobs, found one husband (so far), chased our dreams, mourned the loss people who we love, and done a whole lot of yelling for the Pokes at football games.  There have been girls weekends in Stillwater and San Francisco and at a post-wedding bash at the Hard Rock.  I would not even venture to guess the amount of money that has been spent on airline tickets, the number of limees that have been consumed together, or the phone minutes spent between our cell phone plans.  We've laughed, we've cried, we've left poor LOKG's house looking like a frat party aftermath, we've wrecked vehicles into apartment gates and other vehicles and garages.....but I wouldn't trade a minute of that for anything.

I cannot imagine my life without these girls.  They make me -- and the world -- happier.  What more can you ask for in a friendship?

Transformation Tuesday: BFF

"Being friends, that's just something you are. . . But, I do pick you. . . We've been friends too long to pick, but if we could pick, I'd pick you.” ~John Green

Now it's time for our second installment of Transformation Tuesday.  (If you missed the explanation of this little series, click here.)

BFF is one of my oldest friends.  When he introduced me at his wedding rehearsal dinner he said, "This is Tiff.  She's been my friend for.....well, I don't remember a time when she wasn't my friend."  That pretty much sums it up.

Track Meet 2002 - Chase's Wedding 2012

I met BFF when we were 9 years old at the County Fair.  I couldn't even venture to guess the number of hours that we have spent together in the last 20 years.  In high school it was everything from judging camps to basketball games to track meets to dances.  In college it transformed into lunch multiple times a week, him taking frequent naps on my couch, fights at the golf course, drinks at the Penny, my threatening unworthy girlfriends, and many long conversations over tubs of Oreo ice cream.  Once we both had to leave the glorious mecca of Stillwater, Oklahoma, the friendship transformed again into my favorite phone calls and text conversations.   I do not think there is anyone who is better able to talk me off a ledge, understand what I'm feeling, or tell me when I'm just being stupid.  Oh, and he gives the best hugs and always laughs at my jokes.  No matter what is going on in my life, he has the uncanny ability of making it okay.  Twenty years of knowing a person does that for ya, and I love this kid more than these pictures can say.

Transformation Tuesday: College Roomie

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” ~ Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

People on Facebook were doing something cool last week called Transformation Tuesday where they would post a comparison picture of themselves in high school with a picture of themselves now.  When I started looking for pictures of me, I realized that most of them involved my friends.  As I've transformed over time, I've been blessed with several friendships that have transformed right along with me.  There is nothing like a friendship that's lasted decades!

And, so, I thought I'd do a little blog series over the next couple of weeks and share with you some of my long term friends and how we, and our friendships, have transformed over the years.

We'll kick things off with College Roomie.

OSU football game 2003 / Bart Crow concert 2013

Back in 2003 I moved into a dorm room in the basement of Bennett Hall with a quiet girl from back home who I would have only called an acquaintance.  We really couldn't have been more different.  She's quiet and contemplative, I'm loud and overwhelming.  Her perfect Saturday is reading a book and drinking tea, I opt for screaming at a football game and dancing at a bar.  She eats tuna for breakfast, a habit that I had to shut down because it made me nauseous.    But despite this, after three years, I left Stillwater with a new best friend.  

Seven years after that, we may not live together anymore, but the best friend part has not changed.  We've literally been through the best and worst times of our lives together.  We've been there to weep when horrible phone calls have come, stood next to each other in caps in gowns, and have celebrated a shiny new ring on a very important finger.  We made it through crop science tests and crazy nights at IHOP, and her threatening to sneak out of the house on me.  We survived being separated for a year when she went to China (and totally didn't tell me she was doing that!), burned popcorn, and periodically thinking we were falling for the same boy. 

I thank God on a daily basis for the fact that while we have transformed over the last 10 years, our friendship has transformed right along with us.  (I am also thankful for the fact that time has been good to us in the looks department...no wonder we didn't find our husbands in college!)