Once upon a time, …well, it was a very specific time, actually, so…ahem.
Once upon the fall of 1990, I had the great fortune to become best 5th grade buddies with the zany new kid in school, a gal named Juli Butler. Now, this wasn’t just any gal. Juli was the loud and proud wild child daughter of my social studies teacher, Mrs. Butler. And Mrs. Butler wasn’t just any teacher. This was the kind of teacher that let us write on her overhead projector and gave us special treat graham crackers and (joy of joys!) GUMBALLS that we could chew during class as long as we spit them out in the trash can that she held by the door as we exited her classroom. The best. My 10-year-old self was enchanted by Juli’s bold antics and unbridled sass. Sadly, devastatingly, Juli and I only shared one precious year as Beneke Bears together before she transferred to another district.
I’ve had over 20 Juli-less years since then…but by the power of the almighty Facebook, there has been a Juli/Janica reunion! There is something to be said about a person whose joyful, fun-loving spirit remains virtually unchanged after so many years. To know this girl is to adore her – just ask any one of her bazillion friends and loved ones. Juli, together with her strapping husband Anthony, have created an undeniably awesome family with their kiddos, Ella, Gibson, and the most recent addition, baby Coen. Courageous Coen has had a lot of struggles in his little man life, as he was diagnosed with Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus before he was born. He is a total champion, and is surrounded by incredible amounts of love and support.
I’m so lucky to know you, Juli. I am inspired by your selfless heart and delighted by your filterless humor. I insist that there be no more 20 year gaps in our friendship.
jbo and jdo 4 eva
(where’s one of those whistling wolves when you need it?)
