1999

You never know where life will lead. It was my sophomore year of college and I had the same roommate as I'd had my freshman year, in the same room we'd been in the year before. I had a friend from high school in another room in the suite and the middle room was occupied by a girl that moved in during October after having a bad roommate experience to start her freshman year. It was almost time for Thanksgiving break, and up until this point, we rarely saw this other girl, and we often discussed whether we were really that frightening. She wouldnt even leave her room to use the microwave in the suite...her boyfriend usually did it. At that point I never would have dreamed that life would be what it is today. Then, I think it was the day before Thanksgiving break, we began decorating for Christmas. And well, we had big ideas. Everyone in the suite, including the strange girl in the middle room and her boyfriend, pitched in and we started decorating. We had to finish whenever we returned after the short break. We had the Elf Outhouse, a chimney complete with stockings (our actual socks...but they were clean), and I dont really remember what else. But we had fun, and after that, we slowly started getting to know the girl in the middle room. What does that have to do with how things work out today? That strange girl is now my best friend, the person I talk to most, aside from my husband, and the friend that I will never question that she will be there for me, whatever I need, whether it is someone to remind me that it is ok to make Emily play in her room whenever I have just had enough and can't take it any more, and then go back and play with her or if I need a good laugh about the funny things our kiddos have done, or if I need to express my frustration with pretty much anything. Yep, getting in the holiday spirit that year was life changing, although who knew it at the time? And in case you don't already know, that strange girl was Emily (and yes, I'm sure she'll read this and be ok with me calling her strange) It also had quick rewards...we won the decorating contest on our floor and got tons of candy and junk food which is subsequently how we all survived finals that semester.