Happy Birthday Camie!

Today is my BFF Camie's birthday. Last year I really outdid myself and got her three really awesome gifts.

First, a cool picture frame from Anthropologie.

Second, I wrapped all of the things I'd borrowed from her over the year and regifted them to her. I think there were three books, a couple of pairs of socks, and maybe a notebook.

Third, this Lookin Good for Jesus Fix-It-Kit. Which I think you'll agree is both WAY AWESOME and TOTALLY USEFUL (both spiritually and physically).
This year's gift could never measure up to last year's in coolness or originality. For one thing, I didn't borrow anything from her this year (that I'm planning on giving back). But even though this won't be as cool as Jesus Lip Balm, part of my gift to Camie on this, her 33rd Birthday, is to list 33 reasons why I'm glad Camie is my friend.

1. She likes grilled cheese sandwiches more than anyone I know.
2. She also really value Tots. I respect that.
3. She's my favorite person to sit with after church ends and look at (critique) everyone’s outfit. I’ve tried doing it solo … it’s not the same.
4. For years she was my Visiting Teacher. Best VT EVER! It was the only time I’ve ever been consistently Visit Taught, and the only time I would actually have considered calling my VT to help me out if I needed anything.
5. Excellent at theme parties. Hello? Plastic lunch trays for the back-to-school party? Genius.
6. My favorite dancing buddy.
7. My favorite shopping buddy.
8. Her driving doesn’t scare me.
9. She remembers the first time we met, even though I don’t. We both remember that we talked to some guy named Al Winner.
10. We became friends by fighting over a boy. It was a tie.
11. We decided to be best friends in a van in Punxsutawney, PA.
12. Neither of us saw the groundhog in Punxsutawney, but we did see WAY too much of the Elderly Turbo Lover in his spandex pants.
13. I can text her at 3AM when I'm attracted to inappropriate men and she won't get mad.
14. We hid in the ladies room together when Tod the Bod started to take off toooo much at Vicki's bridal shower. That was scary.
15. She is my style guru. Seriously.
16. She doesn't get mad (for keeps) when I copy her and buy things that she bought first.
17. She was glad that I left her for dead when she passed out in the shower. (That worked out nicely for me, since I was busy with the international billing rules that may or may not apply to text messages.)
18. She introduced me to 100 calorie Hostess Cupcake packs.
19. She listens to all of the advice I give. She doesn't always take it, but she always lets me give it. It makes me feel useful. (And occasionally wise).
20. She is a really good story teller.
21. I love how she uses the names of co-workers and other friends I don't know in her stories, making it seem like I know them too. Makes me feel included.
22. She thinks that she isn't a people person- but let me tell you, she is. Definitely. She is an expert at making new friends and opening up.
23. She loves Guns 'N Roses. Even though she didn't notice that when she went to see them in concert she thought the opening band was them, and left before GNR took the stage. An honest mistake.
24. She is the Glue.
25. She is the Voice of Reason. (Unless she's flipping out, then I am the Voice of Reason).
26. She loves neutral colors.
27. Her favorite non-neutral color was, and might possibly still be, purple.
28. Beach time with Camie is always uber-relaxing.
29. She has some really good one-liners which I've adopted such as "Tan fat is better than white fat."
30. She has a refreshingly nonchalant attitude regarding parking tickets.
31. Thankfully, she doesn't judge me for the dumb things I do. But even if she did, she would still be my friend.
32. She makes me laugh. V. Important.
33. We're both 33, we're both single, and we're both dealing with the same &^*#. If we had to do this by ourselves I'd definitely be a lot more bitter, and she'd probably be a lot more jaded. It's nice to have someone along for the roller coaster ride.

Happy Birthday Camie!