Kashley

My friend Ashley and I met in 2nd grade in Sunday School. We were both the shortest, tiniest, shrimpiest kids around. We were both really shy. We went to Sunday School together throughout our grade school years, although we weren't all that close (I wasn't close to anyone in those early years at church, since I had a case of shyness bordering on paralysis).

Then, in middle school we went on a mission trip to South Texas. [Note: to us United Methodist people, mission trips are about building and/or rebuilding homes for the poor. NOT preaching to anyone! Think Habitat for Humanity].

Ashley and I bonded big-time on that 7th grade mission trip in Brownsville, Texas as we spent a solid week scraping paint flakes off an old woman's house. I think it was the lead paint that sent us into our initial hysteria. We never got over it!

Over the next few years we got closer and more scarily alike. People started asking if we were twins on another mission trip in the Appalachian Mountains. Look at us! We look NOTHING alike!

But we were freakily similar. We would show up for events dressed identically. We were the same height (short) and both very small and skinny. What really did it though, was the way we acted. We had our own language (jibberish... pronounced jidigiberdigeridigish), and we found the same things to be hilariously funny.

We would be sitting in a group event (like in the sanctuary during church) and something would set us off and we would laugh so hard. Sodigo Hardigard! We couldn't stop! We would also cry hysterically for no reason other than teenage hormones and sentimentality.

We started our periods the same year (like 4 years later than everyone else!) [Don't kill me, Ashley, for writing that! Sahdigahridigee!]

Ashley's parents started calling us Kashley. We were like one person. And we have discussed this since: We. Were. Obnoxious. I can't imagine how annoying we must have been huddled in the back seat of the church van in complete hysterics about something. Everyone probably thought we were talking about them. Well, they were right. But still.

So, when I told Ashley I was pregnant last April she was so excited for me and started asking me a million questions about being pregnant. Then, a few weeks later she found out SHE was pregnant. Our babies were born FIVE DAYS APART!!! [Rebecca on December 7 and Ryan Adam, Jr. on December 12]. We just about died!! It was only too typical that Kashley had their babies together as well!

We got our little munchkins together a few weeks ago. We took some photos to show them on their wedding day (when they marry each other, of course!)

Oh yea? Well, can you do THIS?

Oh my God. They are total freaks with the cameras. Can we escape?


Don't cry, RJ! I see an escape route!


Look! Its just over this way. We MUST escape the camera crazed Kashley!


Here! Take my arm! I'll pull you!