L, C&M pre-1991

Meredith, Courtney and I became friends our freshman year of high school when we were 14 years old. We met in Coach Cheeto's gym class. (I should probably feel bad that I don't remember Coach Cheeto's real name...ummm, Sherry? Shirona?? ShimmishimmiCocoPuff? Gah). We stayed friends through college, adventures with nuns, moving away, moving back, moving away again, getting engaged, getting unengaged, bouts of roommates, batshit crazy dogs,marriages, kids.. Twenty-six years later, we're still best friends. We still talk all the time. Courtney still beats me at Words with Friends on a daily basis. Meredith and I have an ongoing one-upmanship contest about the incredibly terrifying things our 2 year old sons do ("my kid unlocks deadbolts and runs in traffic!" "oh yeah, well my kid BROKE HIS NOSE on a table"). TOmorrow morning they get here for our Joint 40th Birthday Weekend O' Fun. I'm so excited to get to spend time with them, but most of all I'm so happy we're all still buds. I love them dearly.

And because nothing says love like a little humiliation, here's some photos of all of us from our early years (all pre-1991).


This was taken at my confirmation. It would have been 1986 or 87, I think 87, actually. Mark Francis, that's you and your dorky face.


1987 we were on a picnic in Riverfront Park.


1988 Meredith and I were on Newspaper together. We used to have to take our own photographs for ads usually with our own selves modelling. I believe we're sporting "Units" here. And I'm trying to channel Christie Brinkley.


1988 I have no idea what we're doing here, but I do remember we're in Fr. Binz's office. Hi Stephen!

Summer 1988. McIlroy Kitchen. Just before the start of our senior year.


ah, our homeless years.. 1989 Senior Year Play


Catholic High Senior Prom 1989. I went with Edwin Peng and Courtney went with Jason Wolfe. The theme was Paradise City. As in GunsNRoses.


These next two were taken at my sister's rehearsal dinner in 1991 (I'm skipping ahead on purpose). Courtney is holding my neice Beth who is now 23 years old and just graduated college. The highwaisted pants are killing me.


Dear lord, we had a lot of hair. The headbands..


now, aren't you glad I brought the camera all those times? No?