For the Kids

Dear Marchant Boys and Adyson,

I first met your mother when we were both 12-years-old. It was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that brought us together - a place where I have met all my closest friends. I actually talked to her for the first time at some church activity at our leader’s house. Her and her other friend, Kristen (Edmunds), were showing all of us some dance routine that they had made up. I thought they were such show-offs – mostly because they were actually really good! Little did I know that we would be such good friends, later. Your mom was a great dancer. She had rhythm like no other white girl I ever saw – especially me.

You will hear many times how beautiful your mother was – tall, slender and stylish. She was so pretty that I often felt prettier just being around her. She was not just pretty on the outside but she was beautiful on the inside as well. She really was so nice to everyone - even the nerdy kids. A few other girls didn’t like her – totally jealous of her personality and good looks. She had many guy friends. Everyone was attracted to her. She was a good friend. She was my best friend!

She was always doing my hair and make-up. Well, I wouldn’t let her do the make-up because I didn’t like that stuff back then, but she did my hair so well. It always looked crappy when I did it - still does, in fact! She would always say “get a perm, get a perm” but I couldn’t make a perm look good - only she could. So, for years I had this huge clump of permed bangs. She did my hair for every school or Stake dance we went to and even did my hair for my brother’s wedding.

The first time your mom brought me over to her house, her mother (Grandma Nielsen) pointed out that your mom and I unconsciously adjusted our underwear at the same time. I was pretty embarrassed but I instantly knew that this Nielsen family had a sense of humor. So the humor came pouring out of me. From then on your mom was the “pretty” one and I was the “funny” one. I have to admit I made a pretty great side kick, but she was the super hero for sure.

We had this thing that we got from your aunt Jessica. One day I saw Jessica doodling on some scratch paper. She was writing “Jessica is Rad!”. It was so funny and cocky. We had to copy her for sure. We started writing how “rad” we were everywhere. We never did give Jessica enough credit for being so funny. She was fun to have around.

Some of the best memories I have of growing up came from being with your mom and her family. We always rode around in this big silver van that your grandma had. We went to the Everett Mall, the Alderwood Mall and always to McDonald’s. I never had to buy my own burger. It was great! Your mom used to open up her cheese burger and put fries in between the layers and close it back up again. It looked pretty sick but actually tasted good. You should all try this sometime – if you haven’t already.

At school we were just regular kids but at church we were the most popular of our large group of friends. It was because your mom was kind to everyone and tried to include everyone no matter how “cool” they were. You see, that is the secret to being popular – be nice and friendly to everyone and everyone will want to be your friend.

Our first year at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, the 10th grade, we wanted to have all our classes together. Your grandma told your mom’s school counselor that “Heather has a cousin that is dying of cancer and Heather needs to be with her best friend as much as possible to help her through the year.” There was a cousin who had been diagnosed with cancer, however, this cousin was doing quite well and was expected to recover. Anyway, we did get all our classes together – all but one. That was my worst class. I hated not having your mom in there with me. We had so much fun in our other classes.

We did have an aerobics class that we hated and would always walk to your mom’s house during this hour. She lived in a neighborhood right across the street from the High School. It was a bit of a walk but it was worth it. Especially since your grandma was so cool with us coming home for a little break. This was against the schools rules, however, and we did eventually get caught. We had to serve one Saturday morning in detention. That was crappy, so I don’t think we skipped class anymore after that.

We weren’t bad girls, but we did get into our share of trouble. There was the time we made our Seminary teacher cry. Poor Brother Walker was a first year Seminary teacher. We just would not stop visiting with each other and all of the friends sitting around us. We were probably terrible. Our teacher finally asked us to leave the classroom. We waited in the hall. Finally, he came out to talk to us and he began to cry. He must have been so frustrated with us. We couldn’t believe we made a grown man cry. We felt so bad. Like I said, we weren’t bad or mean girls, we just had so much fun socializing with everyone. We did think our teacher was a little wimpy for crying, though. I mean, it didn’t do him any favors to cry that way. We lost a lot of respect for the poor guy and I’m sure we kept on talking during class. Life lesson - never let your enemy see you cry.

She was tough, too. For a short time we took some karate lessons at the church. I had taken a turn to spar (fight) each boy in our class and I beat them all! Most of them were pretty wimpy. Then it was my turn to spar each of the girls in our class. Your mother was my first partner. I was sure I was going to annihilate her. She even had a look of fear in her eyes. But much to my surprise she gave me the first punch – right to the center of my chest. It knocked me off my feet. I think it surprised everyone. She was much tougher than any of us realized. I was scared to ever spar with her again. I don’t think I ever did.

Girl’s Camp was a whole other crazy adventure for us. The older girls thought they were such hot snot, banging pots and pans to wake us up early each morning. Well, we decided we would teach them a lesson. We snuck into their tent and stole their alarm clock. Then we decided to send them on a scavenger hunt to find it. It was all in good fun, they simply had to follow the clues and play along and they would find it. I was actually holding on to the clock. You see, I was the final answer to the final clue - find me and they find the clock sort of thing. Well, these girls didn’t really like playing along so they, as the youth leaders of the entire camp, announced at that evenings fireside meeting that they didn’t think stealing was funny and that whoever took the clock was to return it after the fireside. Well, with great fear in my heart (and anger in my head) I stood up and confessed “I have your clock!” I marched forward to the front - still scared stiff. Your mom must have sensed my fear. She stood right up with me and began to clap for me. The next thing I knew, the whole group was clapping. It was a real big group, too - all the young women in the entire Marysville/Lake Stevens stake and their leaders. It was my first and only standing ovation and one of the proudest moments in my life. Your mom was such a good friend to stand up and clap for me like that.

I loved my time with her, even though it wasn’t that long. We were best friends for only a few years. My family moved away from Marysville before your mom and I graduated from High School. But I never forgot the person I was when I was with her. Life got busy and complicated as we grew older. I often think back to the carefree and fun times we had in Marysville. Life was easy and fun with your mom. I will always treasure my time with her. My memories of her are many and I hope you enjoy the few I could drum up. I hope I gave you some sense of what she was like from ages 12-16, because she was something special for sure.

Love to you kids,

Erin Staheli Anderson