Cia

Today is my friend Cia's birthday. Cia and I met when my hubby and I moved into our first home, in Saginaw. We lived at 453 Asbury, and their house was being built at 453 Cambridge, one block over, right behind us. As soon as our mailbox went up, the mailman started delivering Cia's mail to us. That's how we met Cia and her now husband, Justin.

We hit it off pretty quickly, and all 4 of us hung out all the time. Cia and I began walking all of our dogs together (she had 1 and I had 1, but we both added labs to our 'collection' not long after meeting). Our dogs didn't much get along with each other (because my Kooter is freakin' anti-social, apparently), but we walked them anyway.

I have a ton of memories about my time with Cia:

There was the time our dogs were on their leashes and ran in circles around us, squishing Cia and I up against each other, with the leashes wrapped so tightly around our legs that we fell in the middle of my front lawn, unable to move, laughing our asses off.

Or the time my hubby and I, and a couple of other friends, toilet papered Cia's house, including her little 4 foot trees. The next morning, there was a wet toilet paper wad the size of a car stuck on our garage door. Justin had wet the toilet paper we used, and thrown it on our house.

Or the time we went to some white trash bar for 25 cent shots-Justin and my hubby dropped us at the front door before they went to park the truck. Cia and my hubby were arguing about something (playfully), and my husband grabbed her shirt, pulled it over her head, and hit the gas. There was Cia, running along the truck, blind, with her girls out for all the white trash to see.

There were a ton of drunken silly nights. We even flew to Vegas to be in their wedding when Cia and Justin decided to have a 1920's Gangster wedding, complete with the Italian hats, cigars, and the bridesmaids in flapper dresses.

I could describe many funny incidents, believe me. We hung out all the time. And then she got pregnant with their first cutie patootie, and we had a falling out. I won't go into details, but it wasn't until her son was born that we spoke again. And even then, we weren't back to our normal silly selves. It was uncomfortable and familiar, all at the same time. It was a relief to be talking again, and was also sad to realize we had killed so much time.

It took another year before we really started talking again. Each time we talked or saw one another, it got easier. She backed into my 4 foot magnolia tree out in Springtown. I watched her kiddos for her. We started getting back into the groove of things.

As is with most things, we both have busy lives. We don't see each other, nor do we talk to each other, as often as either of us would like. But I still consider her a friend. I know that if I needed her, I could call her right now, late on a Sunday night, and she would come over if I needed her. She's just that way.

Cia helped me grow as a person, without really meaning to. She's taught me a bit about sucking it up and just taking what life has handed you and making the best of it. She taught me to relax and not worry about what others thought. And she also taught me that I can forgive and forget and continue with a good friendship. We had a bump in the road, we both dusted ourselves off, apologized, and we remained friends.

Cia Pia, I love you! I'm here for you, whenever you need me.