Today I Love Scot

I have to show some dude-love eventually, right? 

I cannot think of a better person to start with than the man who is in a tight running with Bart (we'll get to him) for the best male friend (who has only ever been a friend) I have ever been blessed with....heck, the best anyone could ever be blessed with.

The story begins, oh...you know...back in 1980 sometime when we were both in our mother's wombs.  Eventually we grew up, hormones arrived, we despised each other, we picked on each other, we matured, and we became the best of friends.

My favorite story to tell on Scot is how he painted the neighbors kittens when he was helping us paint our barn.  But we share a million stories, too numerous to mention.  I do remember one day in particular that forever changed our relationship.  I was walking to teach my gymnastics class at BYU and full of tears from a broken heart and *bam* there was Scot on a random Saturday afternoon.  We talked.  I cried.  He invited me to Cafe Rio to cheer me up later and I could never again look at him as the annoying kid in my seminary class.  He was my Scot, my friend, my protector. 

Scot is always the first one to jump in and help - heck, I even bribed him to help me wash the ceiling when I moved into my place in Salt Lake.  He moved to Idaho to perform a few years ago but didn't fail to surprise me and drive down to see me perform in my first show in nine years.  Imagine my joy when I looked into the audience and saw his smile beaming back at me.  

In Idaho, he met the love of his life.  And I could never have imagined someone more perfect for him.  And for me!  I love that girl!  I'm rather bummed that I can't seem to find any pictures of this gorgeous woman, but she is, I promise!

Since the wedding, Megan and Scot have taken me under their wing - inviting me up to stay with them in Idaho for fun weekends, handing me tickets to come see touring Broadway productions with them, even letting me bribe them to come stay with me for a night here and there when they come into town to visit family.   I can only hope I can hold on to these two for, well, forever. 

I love you, Scot!  And Megan!  :-)

Scot and Megan's wedding

Les Mis

 

Stranded

Sometimes, the reality of my "aloneness" hits me in a cruel and unusual fashion.  Several times as of late I've felt alone - when I am sick and I have no one to help take care of me or run me to the doctor or pick up a prescription, when I am terribly busy and need to run errands but just do without, when something tickles my funny bone and I get all excited to share only to realize the only one there is my kitty...you get the point.

But I have never felt more alone than I did last night.

Thursday I had an oil change and inspection done to make sure my car was ready for my post-work Friday trip to Boise to visit my life-long friend Scot and his wife Megan, who also happens to be one of my favorite people.  I can be 1,000% myself in the most geeked-out manner around those two and never feel a twinge of guilt.  Love.  I'll post more about the trip, complete with photos, later - it was amazing with an extra zing.  Just what the doctor ordered.

Yesterday I felt a little blue to leave my friends, but life must resume as normal.  I stopped at the Stinker Stores for a soda, hit up a rest stop, you know the drill.  Just north of Brigham City, Utah, I pulled into quite the nice rest stop for one last break before the home stretch.

Just as I pulled away - *POOF*- smoke everywhere. You want to know what was running through my head as I stopped?  "Huh...uhhhhhhmmm...hmmmm....uhhhhh.....weird.  Uhhhhhhhhhh....huh."  And my thoughts continued like that for quite a few minutes.

Almost immediately two rough and tumble bikers with their daughters in tow came to help check the problem.  No genius was required to see the exploded top radiator hose.  I found it before the men did, actually.  It exploded like a hot dog in the microwave and the "smoke" had actually been the steam of the anti-freeze hitting the hot engine.  The kind men walked me through what parts I needed, had me repeat everything to them, and waited until they knew my phone worked.  A little bit later, another kind man came up and told me he'd had the same problem with his old vehicle and gave me some more tips.  I must have been at a rest stop for nice people only.  In spite of these sweet folks, I felt completely and utterly alone.

And then...

I called my dear Blake.  He immediately fetched the correct parts, my darling Shayla, and began the hour and fifteen minute journey to rescue me without a moment of hesitation.

As I waited, I contemplated the love these two people have for me.  I contemplated the kind strangers.  I contemplated that I could have literally been anywhere along the stretch of oblivion between Salt Lake and Boise when that radiator hose exploded.  Anywhere.  The odds that I made it so close to Salt Lake and just happened to be at a well-kept rest stop near a town are nothing short of miraculous in my book.  I contemplated the love of those who continued to call me and text message me to confirm I really was being rescued.  I actually laughed through most of the evening because, hey, what else are you going to do?

Once Blake and Shayla arrived, I was fixed and on the road within ten minutes.  They followed me home and now I just need to find some time to go get a little "peace of mind" inspection.  They are my heroes.  I am a very lucky girl to have such angels in my life.

Sometimes, I feel startlingly alone - my family all live in Ohio or Virginia, I am unmarried, and I am just a darned unique individual.  Then some miracle of a catastrophe happens to show me that I am anything but alone. 

 

My Best Friend's Wedding

Are you familiar with the scene in "My Best Friend's Wedding," where the bride and groom are leaving and Julia Roberts, the best friend, is left standing there looking dejected lost in the crowd when all of a sudden her best friend is standing in front of her and gives her a big hug before he leaves?
You know how people always talk about how nothing in real life is like the movies? I beg to differ!
I do not have a "best friend," I love so many folks, but I do have "best friends." One of them, Scot Fetters, grew up with me - our mom's were pregnant at the same time. Whenever I needed anything, Scot was there. Whenever Scot needed anything, from someone to take his extra musical ticket to a listening ear, he would call me. There is no way to describe how much I love this man, how much he means to me, how much he will always hold a place in my heart...
Scot married the most amazing girl, Megan, this weekend. I could go on and on about her, but just knowing she married Scot is enough to tell you how amazing she is :-)
I was so proud of myself for not crying during the ceremony - I have a difficult time realizing Scot doesn't need me anymore, but I am overcome with joy seeing how incredibly happy he is...happier than I have ever seen him and pretty much happier than I ever thought he would be.
I watched as he and Megan had their first dance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." I fought tears, still dry, good. I watched as Megan and her daddy danced...still clear. I then sat there, staring off into the distance feeling a little lost, as Julia Roberts did in the aforementioned movie. All of a sudden, I felt a presence and I looked up. There stood Scot with his hand out saying, "Don't you think you are going to get out of this!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor and gave me the hugest hug as he danced with me and said, "I love you so much!" I lost it. Heck, I'm almost losing it just writing this. I know what it is like to live a moment from the movies now. An era of my life has come to an end, but an even brighter era is beginning :-)