I was somewhere in the range of 8-10. My mother and I can't seem to remember exactly the time frame we are talking about.It was an exciting period in my life. I had every single New Kids on the Block album, on cassette, on my person at all times. I slept on top of my bed in a NKOTB sleeping bag. I sang my freakin' heart out, without a single tune in key, of course. I had a NKOTB lunch box, t-shirts and of course some really freakin' awful hair. (Pictured here with my NKTOB sleeping bag)
The most exciting thing that happened, however is when my mom and her (still) best friend Luanne surprised me and Luanne's daughter Danielle with tickets to New Kids on the Block!
This was my first concert and I got to see my future husband (Jordan) perform? Amazing! We went to the amphitheater in Raleigh. I am not sure what I was expecting, but somehow in my state of euphoria, I imagined an intimate candlelit setting where Jordan would propose, (Not sure where my mom would be during this intimate encounter) I would leave town and travel the world.
Well, what really happened was we went to a crowded venue with thousands of screaming girls. And I mean, screaming. And even though I loved NKOTB so, even Danny, I couldn't imagine SCREAMING. Were these girls barbarians? Then, they started throwing their bras and panties on the stage and I got real nervous. What the heck was going on?
So, honestly, I remember the performance of You Got It (The Right Stuff) because it was my favorite and they rocked it out, but I do not have strong memories of the rest of the show because I was busy being terrified. Why was everyone screaming?
My mother and Luanne proceeded to JOKE about throwing their panties and were yelling out, "Jordan, we want your dads!" Of course they would never really throw their panties, but I was not mortified and terrified. I think at one point I began physically shaking.
After I recovered from the post-traumatic stress, I began to love NKOTB again. My love for Jordan turned into a love for Donnie and then Joey. What can I say, I was fickle.
And then, just like that, NKOTB broke up. They became sort of a joke. I grew more mature and I moved on to my Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews and then eventually, that's right ,Britney and Christina phase!
But the kids from the block always held a special place in my heart. And in a little over a week, I get to join one of my best friends in the world for a NKOTB show!
Which brings me to the second part of this post, my love for Elizabeth, EE. Because if this sounds kind of like a love letter, it is.
I met EE in Dr. Beverly Christopher's Freshman English 101 class. There was a really obnoxious girl in there who wouldn't ever just SHUT UP. At one point, when I was rolling my eyes, EE was rolling hers too. In that moment, our eyes met and a forever friendship was born.
I like to tell people, "Our friendship has been going strong for 11 years!" And then EE likes to add (because it's true) "With a year and a half or so of hiatus."
So, 11 years strong, with a year or so of hiatus. While the reasons of said hiatus are the business of EE and me, the hiatus happened and we missed each other. So, in early February of 2009, EE and I reconnected on Facebook and then we started talking on the phone. And e-mailing. And calling.
And in August of 2009, an adorably pregnant Elizabeth met up with me and Misty for a steak at Outback Steakhouse in Charlotte and the forever friendship was reborn.
Just like that, we picked up like we'd never left off. EE was still hilarious, caring and warm, everything I'd missed during our hiatus. She was pregnant with Tyler so our friendship became one where I got to be a part of such a joyous experience in her life. I attended her baby shower and one week later, super cute and 8 months pregnant, she came to Charlotte for my 28th birthday party.
When Tyler arrived, I was in Greensboro within a few days holding this little bundle of joy that looked so much like EE. Eight days after he was born, his Baptist Aunt Randi had the absolute honor of participating in his Jewish bris, one of the most beautiful ceremonies I have ever seen.
Over the last three years, EE and I have started a new forever friendship, one that has to factor in mommyhood and a job that keeps me pretty busy. But we make it work. Because ever since that day in English class, we knew we would be forever friends.
A couple of months ago, EE literally stood beside me, along with some other awesome friends, when we had a graveside service for Nana. I was so nervous and my friends helped me through it. And when she told me a few months ago she was pregnant again, I squealed for joy.
And when I see her next weekend, I am going to joyfully rub her tummy and let him/her know Aunt Randi is here!
And then after that, Ran and EE are going to hit the town and go see New Kids on the Block. Because after the past 11 years, you only do something special like that with those forever friends.
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