For my bestfriend, Darlene

Let me preface this entry by saying that I have been a terrible friend...I totally forgot Dar's 40th birthday. For that, I am truly sorry. I have been so wrapped up in my "hobby", work, family and Church (not necessarily in that order) that I forgot. (Note to self: Stop being so self-centered BIOTCH!)

Let me tell you about Dar...Dar doesn't cry...but I made her cry!! (Gold star on my chart! LOL) Dar busted into tears when I surprised her by going down to her home in FL..she had no idea that I was coming! "Boo" was down there visiting/on vacation and I decided to fly down 5 days before Boo was leaving to come home so that she didn't have to fly alone. Dar had NO IDEA..A few days before I left we were discussing weekend plans over the phone and I metioned that I was going to visit my girlfriend down South..Well, she had NO IDEA how far South I was going! It was a great moment!! She looked at me for a minute, burst into tears and cursed me as she ran from the room! Too funny!

Dar was Cheryl's (my sister) friend long before I became friends with her. One day Chryl told Dar to call me and ask if one of my girls could babysit for her. Sure they can! I knew her, not well..but I knew her.Besides, she lived a mile from my house so it was convenient. Well, I'd go and pick up whichever child was babysitting for her (Ray in the beginning, Boo later on) and sit with a cup of tea and chat. We became fast friends. To make a (VERY) long story short, we became very close and to this day my sister INSISTS that I stole Dar from her. Not the case, but I'm done pleading it.

Dar is NOT like me. She is very cut and dry. She makes a decison and sticks with it. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. She is self-reliant and self-sufficient. She is independant. She is brave. When I'm in her company (which I haven't been in for over a year now) we laugh like crazy! We had a water fight at her house in FL that will go down in history! I LITERALLY peed myself! (Yeah..I know..TOO much information!) Dar tells it like it is...shoots straight from the hip. She will tell you the way she sees it and if possible, offers a solution. She doesn't back down to a fight. She satnds up for what she believes in. She is STRONG.

Since this is about Dar and not me, I won't share the parts of her that are like me. No, this is about my best friend Dar.

She has been a friend thru and thru. She truly cares about my children. She likes my husband. (Ok...maybe TOO much..I'll save this one point for another catty entry! LOL!!) She loves me. I can count on her. When you look up "best-friend" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Dar. (Waaaayyyy over the top but in my dictionary, she's there!!)

Anyway...

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTEST FRIEND, DARLENE! I HOPE THAT THE COMING YEAR IS FILLED WITH JOY, HAPPINESS, MONEY AND A HUNKY MAN!!

Thanks for always being there for me Dar..it's been a long hard row the past several years but you always paddled it with me...

Now go dry your eyes, Dar...Love ya, miss ya...Ciao moomama!