Another Story...

Mood: just for fun
Listening to: an OLD mix comprised of; 311, the soundtrack to the newer romeo and juliet movie, the spice girls and sublime.
Enjoying: a large mug of water through a straw. (I'm trying to get myself in "hospital mode". ;)
Side Note: don't you love it how music can literally bring you back to a certain time and place and make you truly relive memories?
Story:
When I was about 13 I met this boy, we can call him Mex, who introduced me to his friends. He was a Native American, he got the nickname from someone who was trying to be rude, but he kept it and wore it with pride. He was a semi pro/pro rollerblader. (think X games, ramps, rails, etc-... not that guy in short-shorts that rollerskates up provo canyon looking like Kip from Napoleon Dynamite.) He and his friends really liked this band 311. We used to drive around together and find parks and buildings and stadiums and office complexes and schools and stop and video them while they skated. They edited the home videos and added all this 311 music to the background. We all thought we were SO COOL. ;) We had so much good clean fun; no drugs, no sex, no illegal behavior (unless you count the random acts of nudity... and for the record I am pleading the fifth on that one, if you were there you would too!) I guess, the only exception was if we had seen it in reality bites then we reserved the right to try it. Pretty close to innocent though. ;)

I remember a time when this group of friends and I went up to SLC to a skate competition at Salty Peaks (?). There was plenty of 311 played at the comp. One of the cute girls that came with us had her hair parted in a FAR to the side swoop bang. (This was WAY before the swoop was popular... yes, we were THAT stylish... and don't even get me started on Sublime...) By the end of the day up in SLC we all had gotten some serious sun! I usually just continue to change races. (ie: my skin is olive and I have no clue why so I claim ALL races, and I rarely ever sunburn.) The Rads are bro and sis and they have white-blond hair, blue eyes and, you guessed it, FAIR skin. They were essentially bright red. Mex was a super dark tan. Most of the other skate boys had red and white farmer-tans, their sweat soaked shirts were thrown off hours ago. I looked over at my cute shy friend with the swoop bangs and started to laugh. I asked her if I could look at her forehead and see if she got a tan line from her bangs! OH MY HECK! SHE DID!

It was classical teenage joy over nonsensical things. This memory came back to me crystal clear during one of the songs I just listened to. We had so much fun together. Suddenly, all of these fun memories of this old group of friends just kinda flooded me.

I remembered that we also used to make home movies during the evenings as a group of friends, usually listening to 311, drinking gas station cappicinos with loads of sugar and creamer and snackwells cookies driving around in Vince (the volkswagen) who always had SEVERAL vanillaroma trees hanging from the rear view mirror.

We would arrive on our different movie shooting sites and film horror movies. I always got to be the girl who is being chased by the murderer. It was so fun. One time Josh (one of the skater boys) was filming and he zoomed in and out on this humongous zit on my nose. (I had just picked at for at least an hour before I came over so I poured a pound of cover up on it and pretended it wasn't there.) I had no clue he was filming that way, he didn't even laugh! He was stealthy when it came to practical jokes. The little tease filmed the entire movie using his zooming skills. When we got together at the end of the night to watch our new "film" it was ROLL ON THE GROUND funny to watch! I think my lemon even peed her pants while laughing during this one. (see, sometimes people pee their pants...)

What a great group of kids. I had so much fun with them. Recently, thanks entirely to blogger and facebook, I have been in contact with this group of friends again. Just in time too... It is so crazy... three of us have chronic illnesses and deal with pain on a daily basis

My Lemon: lymes disease, a rare bacterial infection/parasite, tonsilitis, appendicitus, endometiosis, AND a new baby guy

Mex: graves disease, radioactive treatment, removal of thyroid, medications, muscle weakness, extreme weight loss, major fatigue,

And me: well, you all know my chart :).

It is crazy how comforting it has been to be able to talk to these guys. Some how our history together makes their advice to me truly priceless. I am so honored to have them in my life again, and feel like they are angels who have so much to teach me! I am so glad to have their experiences to learn from.

There are, of course, some people from the old "crew" that are no longer around for one reason or another. Unfortunately, some of those reasons include losing them for a while... while they wait for us on the other side. (Love you Joshy.) Josh's viewing had a small tv playing our homemade skate videos and a little boom box playing 311 and spice girls. It melted my heart. I am so glad I have the comfort of my faith in times like that.

Some of the other reasons we grew apart as friends include normal things like being married, having kids, going away to school or for a job, etc-. One guy owns his own business designing, making and selling baby shoes and accessories and is willing to give me some tips and help to start up my bags business!

Another girl had a baby with really severe reflux and when he was about 3 months old she got in a really bad accident and had to wear a FULL BODY CAST for some horrible amount of time. She was unable to hold her baby while he screamed and screamed from reflux. She talked to me about postpardem, really honestly. It was so refreshing. I listened to all of her stories about the time when she was in the cast, and felt like it was helping me to cope with the idea of not picking tristan up for 6 weeks after my surgery next tuesday. Her stories made me have faith that I will be okay, and that SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE will be here to help me. :) The cute girl who got the sun burn bangs is my friend on facebook, she has little ones and shares tips on being a mommy.

The mom of one of the girls lives in my ward right now and she had something like 10 kids, and 8 of them had really severe colic. All of her boys have experienced serious health complications and, to top it all off, all of the boys have a rare bleeding disorder. This woman is such a saint. She gives me comfort and advice and has so much experience.

It is neat to look into the eyes of a mother who has grown children and see the way that being a mother has shaped her. Some women turn out to be strange works of art, a little twisted here or there and perhaps even a little abstract at times, but always beautiful for their complexities and strength. Other women turn out to be stunning beacons of selflessness. And selflessness is quite possibly the most attractive feature that any person could ever have. I like to think I am shaping into a good mixture of the twisted and the beautiful. What's life without a little character anyways?

It is wonderful to have so many kind women, of all ages and backgrounds, talking to me and sharing their insights and advices and comforts. I am honored. :)

So, long story even longer, I am having a good day. I felt so much love and support and kindness today from all of you! Thank you! Turns out my seizures are most likely caused by severe anxiety. (In 2006 I had a series of severe anxiety attacks and when I talked to the doc about these recent ones he reminded me that they were very similar to what happened these last few days.) I am getting anxious, but I am still VERY VERY hopeful.

love,
lynsie

p.s. Go kiss your babys, all of you mommies and daddies! xoxo