Happy Birthday Lo!! Lucky for me our birthdays are less than a month apart, so now it is my turn to take a trip down memory lane too.

I learned that much of our friendship predates the digital age. I have three times as many printed photos as I do digital photos of us. I am kind of grateful we are the last class that graduated college without facebook. We still managed to get up to plenty of fun, but it was nice to not have that documented in excruciating detail.

I was able to find one small photo of us on our foundational beach trip. It looks like it is post haircut too. Who took this picture? Whatever happened to Steve? Who knows? But I sure am glad that we went on that spontaneous beach trip. The Tropicana will always be ours.

Lauren, being friends with you kind of saved me in college. I found my bearings when we became friends. Up until that point I felt like I was floating around trying on friends, but none of them really fit until I found you.

In the sea of ritzy trust fund kids that made up the AU population it was such a relief to find someone whose parent was also a teacher, who had to work for extra cash and who would play the “dressed for less” game with me each morning with glee. I felt at home with you for the first time since I had moved across the country.

And now that there is a country between us I still feel at home with you even from a distance. Ours is a friendship that doesn’t require proximity to feel close. What a gift for both of us. So even though the lack of technology protected us in college, the ease of technology is such a blessing to us now. Email and now this blog has helped us fill in the gaps between the big life moments that we always manage to show up for.

I feel lucky that we got to know each other early enough in college to share a dorm. I am so happy that we got to support one another as we each walked down the aisle. I can’t tell you how special it was introducing you to baby Ellis. Being pregnant at the same time with Luke and Calvin was the icing on the cake for me. I am a better parent because of all the emails and phone calls we have exchanged over the years.

I have always admired your daring spirit. You have never been afraid to go after what you want in life. From Australia to Cali to Eric to your career to Luke, you have achieved your dreams. You made your own way and you made it look easy and fun (and I know it wasn’t all the time). You are my working mama hero. I hope that when I go back to work someday I can manage my own career with half your grace.

So may this year be another good year in a great life. You deserve it. May your 33rd year be filled with wonderful words and unexpected adventures. Happy Birthday Lo!