{Roommates; A blog Series - Part 2:1} Amanda

People always asked us how we remained such good friends while living together. Ashlyn's mom put it best when she says that each of us have our niche in the group and neither is too much like the other. We are able to pick up the slack where others lack, and because we are so different we rarely (though it happened) butted heads.

Amanda 

My mom and Amanda's dad grew up together. My grandma actually babysitted her for a few months before I was born. We attended sunday school together and then elementary school. She used to make fun of me because I was a weird child. She apologizes for it now, but I think I deserved it--I still am was a little weird. I knew her best going into our living situation together, as we have had classes together every single year. She is a brianiac and a perfectionist, so it was only fitting that she was our class valedictorian.

Amanda and I were the best at getting things done. We were both vocal about our thoughts and opinions, which meant we rarely held bad feelings towards the other for long. We'd both just call a sister out about what was up and that was that. Sometimes it was a little more headed and to the point than others. Other times, we'd find ourselves having a "training session" where we'd end up talking about things we could do better or had done wrong. I absolutely loved that we were able to be very blunt with each other, and help each other grow into the best version of herself.

After college, she got a job teaching first grade about 30 minutes from my apartment right next to the high school that Billy coaches at. We continued to see each other at least once a week for the year that she lived there for dinners, baseball games, or dates or any excuse we could thank of to hang out. So she and I continued for the longest time still feeling like roomies, except I got to miss all her door slamming.

One of my favorite memories that I can share  of Amanda, besides the one about her burning her hand on the oven or her getting into a wreck while watching a movie on her laptop in the car, happened in the winter of our freshman year. We got into a discussion about how cool swing dancing look and how she would love to try it. I, being the smallest, got nominated for the position of guinea pig.. okay, maybe I jumped on the idea.

We watched videos and began practicing, and got to the point where we were awkwardly able to do two different tricks. One day, during commercials for American Idol, we decided to practice some more. Typically, we would only perform these highly skilled maneuvers outside in the grass, but I felt confident in my progress that we could do them inside. I think there were a few boys present that may have boosted my confidence/need to show out. Looking back, not one of my better ideas.
We did the trick where she would swing me around her back, upside down, and then land me back on my feet.. except after the ol' over under allyoop, my face slammed into the floor.

How the trick is kinda sorta supposed to look:

Us attempting it, but not quite getting it right.. again.

Our sophomore year, Amanda broke her finger playing softball and didn't know it for like 2 days. When she finally had an x-ray done, they told her she had to have surgery the next day. Horrible planning on her part, because the next day just so happened to be her birthday. We were banned from talking about the wedding, but she was such a delight on her birthday. Amanda on percocet is my favorite and very rare form of her. To coincide with the occasion, we threw her a "We're glad you didn't die/hope the pain goes away soon" party

Megan and I decided to go buy her random things to go in a bag along with the only thing she actually wanted.. why? I don't know. So she and I set out to the dollar tree where we each picked 3 of the most random things we could find. We ended up with a fake parrot, a tooth brush, an over-sized diamond ring key chain, a figurine of a lion and some other random things to pair with her T-swizzle cd. Oh! and some Rhinestones so that we could bedazzle her cast :)

When she returned from her surgery, we let her open all of her gifts. Since she was so high, it was even funnier than we imagined it would be. To make the story better, it was also the night of  some random award show, and she sang every single word to Love Story by Taylor Swift to Tyler, her new boyfriend of like 3 weeks. Later he held her hair back while she vomited, because she didn't take her medicine as directed. sigh.. young love.