Jennifer

You want history? Oh there's history here.

Sometimes I can't believe how I keep friends so long. Some people just haven't gotten sick of me yet. Jennifer is one of these; I've known her since 1995, about the time I moved to Flower Mound, Texas from N.C. In 1995, I was in the 8th grade and Jennifer was in the 6th grade. We met through the youth group at Vista Ridge Methodist. In the summers of 1995 and 1996 we went on mission trips with the youth to Oklahoma and San Marcos.

Jennifer with Rachel Silverman

Jennifer and I have stayed in good contact over the years. When I say "history" this includes the time when I apparently broke her heart. We dated ever-so-briefly in 1998, and I broke up with her before I left to work at camp. She doesn't harbor any grudges, but she never fails to remind me about the time I supposedly played heartbreaker.

Jennifer went to rival Lewisville High School and graduated in 2002. She currently lives at home and attends community college. I like to poke fun at her for living at home, but it's not that bad; her parents are way cool. At LHS, she was all kinds of cool things like a "Farmerette" (drill team - Lewisville mascot is the 'Fighting Farmer') and class president. Something else about Jennifer - she was actually born in the city of Lewisville, and has lived around the area her whole life.

Lately, Jennifer's favorite activity is making me feel guilty. She teams up with Rachel Silverman and Sandra Eley and fault me into growing apart from my "roots" in Flower Mound. Case in point: from June 1 to November 30 last year I came home about 4 times. All were for important reasons, like Adrienne's graduation, Thanksgiving, etc. Apparently Jennifer would like me to come visit "just to visit". That's just not my style...even though it's a short (but traffic jammed) hourlong drive back to the hometown.

Their new plan is to come visit me in Fort Worth. And by "visit" they mean they may not call or give any sort of notice...just show up on my porch, take me to dinner or something. Since I am an "important college guy" now, I'm too good for the old high school days. That's hardly true, I visit Rob and Andrew in Austin quite frequently and they are high school friends. Jennifer's goal this semester is to come visit and go to Billy Bob's. Even though she was a dancer (Farmerette) in high school, apparently she has no clue how to two-step and it is my responsibility to teach her how. Two-stepping really isn't that hard at all; she should pick it up right away.

This picture on the left is Jennifer holding a bowl of "Frito pie." This was one of my final nights in Flower Mound before returning to Fort Worth after the Christmas break. It was the night of the Sugar Bowl, now that I think about it. Sandra Eley was so thrilled I actually came to one of her college-aged youth events, but her dish that night was beefy chili and Fritos. I, of the "no red meat" diet, had Fritos.

So that's the situation...Jennifer and I go way back, almost 10 years! I normally don't keep friends this long, I just don't understand why I haven't screwed this one up yet. But Jennifer is a good friend, and I certainly wouldn't want to lose her.