When I was 9 years old we moved into a apartment complex down the street from my future high school. I had several friends in the neighborhood to play with and loved living there. One friend Mai, lived upstairs across from a family of little girls. I remember they would watch us out the window but never came out to play, they weren't allowed. Fast forward to Jr. high and one of them was in my class, Gaby and I rode the bus together but weren't really friends.
Freshman year of high school Gaby and her sister Robertha were in my French class. Bert and I became fast friends and started hanging around together. Slowly but surely Gaby and I became friends and started hanging out during lunch and walking home from school together. By my Sophomore year Gaby was my best friend who I did everything with and that continued throughout our high school years.
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| Prom junior year 1993 |
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| URA dork trio |
We went through a lot together during those years. Difficult family situations, boy troubles, school troubles, friend troubles you name it, we went through it. We often would try to solve the issue while walking to and from school each day. By that time we lived in the same neighborhood once again and were walking buddies. We also added a third friend to our "dork" trio our junior year and spent a lot of time with our buddy Liviu aka Lee. The three of us had the best senior year together, lots of fun laughs and jokes were shared.
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| Gabby, Heather, Lenice and I June 1994 |
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| Gaby and I having a laugh on my 18th birthday |
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| Jeni and Gaby on our wedding day |
When Conner was born, the day he was born we actually stood Gaby up! We had planned to go to our school homecoming game that night but Conner had other plans! When we came home from the hospital, the first person to come visit was Gaby. She has long been a friend to the entire T family and a important part of our lives. Even my extended family loves Gaby especially my Aunt Maggie adores her.
We moved away and left Gaby behind, time and distance separated us physically but our bond has never been broken. Through the years we have talked on the phone until Myspace came along and later Facebook. We didn't see each other from 99-04, Gaby was handed a life altering diagnosis that year and I went to spend her birthday with her and see her in a difficult time. Once again we were separated by distance until 10' and we got to see each other again. Hopefully we can see each other again soon and start trying to make it a at least yearly habit.
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| Gaby and I 2010 |
Over the last year, Marty and I have watched Gaby find happiness personally. We both have enjoyed seeing her posts on Facebook and seeing her really live life! We've never met her boyfriend but we both already adore him because of the joy we see in Gabs. It's been so uplifting to witness even from afar.
Thanks for being a faithful, supportive friend for over 20 years. Truly a friendship for a lifetime, here is wishing you a blessed year with much happiness and joy. I may never say often enough but I love you dearly and am thankful for you. Happy birthday Gabs!
