Kristen: 0:36

Hey everybody. welcome back. I'm really excited about this episode because as you know, April was all about friendship, if you haven't listened to those episodes, you need to go back and listen to all of them. one of the biggest things I wanted to talk about in friendship was highlight. One of the most impressive friendships I've seen. these two lovely ladies are in my life and they have the most amazing story of not only how they met, but how they've stayed together and now how they're doing life together and having kids that are friends And It's so beautiful and I'm like, we have got to get this on the podcast. We need to share it with the world to know all about them. So today we are talking to Amber and Paige. Hi Amber. Hi Paige. Hi. So before we get into it in all of your story, the listeners need to know a little bit about you. So Amber, do you wanna give us a quick little intro of who you are? Sure.

Amber: 1:31

hello everyone. I am Amber I am a wife and a mother of two children. I live in the same town as Paige and Kristen and I am a real estate agent. I've got pets and chickens and just doing all the life things.

Kristen: 1:49

So Paige, tell us about you.

Paige: 1:51

Yeah, of course. we have all the same things in common. I'm a mom and a wife, and I do marketing and communications, and I'm a veteran. I also have chickens and dogs.

Kristen: 2:03

See, it's like you guys are the same in every single way. So I think to get things started, we really need to understand, how you guys know each other. So I know there's a lot of stories to tell, but if we can start with the first one, how is it that you guys met?

Amber: 2:21

So, it was. In May of 2011, and we were both out processing to go to bootcamp. We were joining the International Guard at the same time. We didn't know each other at that time, but we were getting ready to go. we met at the airport. it wasn't really until we got to Dallas that we started talking. but yeah, we were leaving to go out to bootcamp together and had no idea where our friendship would turn into this.

Kristen: 2:51

Okay. So that's the small part of the story. You've gotta tell me the extended version, all the issues you had getting there, how you bonded with each other. that's the part of the story that I love hearing.

Paige: 3:04

Well, we got stuck in Dallas for 12 hours and we got to know each other. Amber taught me how to play a few card games and we decided, it was time to eat some food that we wouldn't get to have for two months. then we ended up showing up to bootcamp at two o'clock in the morning. everybody else had already been there for at least 12 hours, so we're late. So when you see the videos on YouTube of everyone showing up. On the bus getting off and they're screaming at everyone. Put your bags down, pick'em up, put'em up, put'em down, pick'em up. It's just her and I getting screamed at. Yeah, we missed all of it. So it was just us. then they walk us up to the dorms and everyone's sleeping and they tell us to stand in a room until everybody wakes up with this book. And, everyone wakes up and they're running around frantically and we have no idea what's going on. they're slapping gel in our hair and teaching us how to. Make our beds and what to say, how to talk to people, how to walk, we go to the chow hall, we have no idea what's going on in the chow hall. There's so many rules there. So we're learning all of'em. You know, as, as we're going late, as we're going, I know the

Amber: 4:06

whole first day, like the first day is all the basic instructions.

Kristen: 4:09

orientation

Amber: 4:10

Yeah. Like one of the things you have to do is give a reporting statement. So anytime you talk to someone else in uniform, like your training instructor. you'd have to be like, trainee Wellington Reports is ordered. Well, I didn't know. We didn't know what to say. No. So like this tis coming up and she's screaming at us. She's like, who are you? And I'm like, I'm Aunt Amber. And she's like, where's your reporting statement? And we're like, I dunno, what is we supposed to do? Yeah. Yeah. It was pretty, pretty terrifying. So basically, we bonded immediately over the fact that we were both terrified.

Kristen: 4:39

Mm-hmm.

Amber: 4:39

And going into something that was super scary. Like before we even. Got there. we were already scared. Mm-hmm. and then we show up late. Late. That's

Paige: 4:49

That's you only you would be late to bootcamp. And I was just, sorry because I'm late at life,

Kristen: 4:56

That's so funny. It's like you guys bonded over the trauma.

Paige: 4:58

That happens a lot for some reason

Kristen: 5:01

it's crazy that you were The only ones coming out of St. Louis or stuck in Dallas. Yep.

Paige: 5:05

And since we were late, we got thrown into band flight. So we got to, yeah,

Amber: 5:08

got to play symbols.

Paige: 5:09

got to play simple

Amber: 5:11

because

Paige: 5:11

they

Amber: 5:11

were like, did any, did you guys play a band? And you know, did any of you play an instrument? Which I actually, I mean I did, but I didn't say it You didn't know what was gonna happen. I didn't know what was gonna happen if I said yes,

Paige: 5:21

volunteer for anything. Yeah, We were like, no,

Amber: 5:23

we were just quiet. And then they were like, it's two o'clock in the morning. They didn't wanna inpro us. they were like, just throw'em in the band flight. We were like, what does that mean? We had no idea. So we got to learn how to play the cymbals. Yeah, that was fun. Can you still play the cymbals?

Paige: 5:37

Yeah. Boom. Crash, boom, crash. No, we stopped. That's

Amber: 5:41

what they taught you because the motions you would make is you were like, boom. And then when you would pull those cymbals apart, it would make the crashing noise. Yes. So it'd be like, boom, crash, crash.

Paige: 5:50

we stop and that's it.

Kristen: 5:55

fantastic life skill. We did it. Please tell me, you still put that on your resume now, like you also are a professional. No, we keep that symbol player.

Paige: 6:03

We keep that one in the vault. We don't tell many people about. Now everyone's gonna know.

Kristen: 6:07

All right, so you mentioned that there were foods that you had to eat in Dallas that you weren't going to eat again. Oh gosh. It was McDonald's. It was McDonald's. Oh, McDonald's. I mean, because you knew we were gonna have to eat

Amber: 6:16

like just whatever they fed us. Yeah. So we were like, well, we're stuck here. We might as well eat McDonald's one last time. basically that's what basic training was. It was like a prison, you know? Yeah. when you're in basic training, it's like you're in this whole nother world. You're separated from everything you know everyone you love, and you forget what's outside of those walls. Mm-hmm. That whole time. Yeah. Right. So you don't have

Paige: 6:38

your clothes, you don't have your toiletry, you don't have anything that you're used to. You can't. Just call anyone or text anyone

Amber: 6:45

no, you don't even have access to your phone. It was. Kept in a locked box until Sunday and if you were well behaved that week, maybe you got to make a phone call.

Paige: 6:54

Yeah. I think that's what a lot of people don't understand about bootcamp. Like, they'll say like, oh, air Force Bootcamp so easy, especially compared to the others. And it's like, yeah, it's not that physically hard but if you're already in pretty good shape, it's not hard physically, it's more like mentally it's the first time in your life you're gonna get thrown into an environment where you're disconnected from everyone else You don't get anything you want. everything you're doing is what someone else is telling you to do and you have to listen or you're in trouble. Right. Or you're on your face

Amber: 7:20

and they're constantly, you know, the whole idea is to tear you down, to build you back up. Mm-hmm. And they do that. it works for sure.

Paige: 7:26

I recommend it. I think everybody should go through it. I totally do.

Kristen: 7:29

And did you both go right outta high school?

Paige: 7:32

I did not. Okay. Mm-hmm. I signed up right out of high school, but I had to wait 10 months for bootcamp. in the National Guard, you'll go to drill every month until you go to bootcamp. You just don't have a uniform yet. I just had to wait a while to go.

Amber: 7:45

And that's the thing too, we have an age gap between us. I was 23 when I joined. I had already been to Jeffco, did a couple years there, went off to college for a year I realized I needed some stability and structure. So that's why I came back home and joined the military.

Kristen: 8:01

I love it. So do you remember the first time you saw each other or how it happened, or any first impressions you have of each other? And I'm asking because I've experienced this where I may meet somebody right away. I'm like, oh my gosh, I love this girl. She's fantastic. And then later on I'm like, that was wrong. Misjudged that one. But I've also done the opposite I'm like, Ugh, I can't stand this person. And they become one of my best friends. So I am curious if either of those things happen to you and I wanna know. Honestly, what were the first impressions you had of each other or what your thoughts were?

Paige: 8:32

Amber, when she was out processing, had her friends, two or three friends, and her family. I was just with my dad and like, I don't mean anything bad by that, but I was probably jealous. I was 19, so I wasn't very mature I thought Amber was a dork. she was wearing glasses. Which. Ironically, I ended up wearing glasses a year after that, she was singing Justin Bieber with her friends, and I just thought she was the biggest dork. I was like, seriously? What is this girl? It was probably partly because, I was super nervous, so honestly it was maybe helpful that. She was acting like a dork.'cause I can focus on that instead of the fact that we're about to leave her bootcamp. Yeah, she's totally fine. but once we actually, we didn't interact until we got to the airport and we're like, we don't have a choice but to interact. You know what I mean? Like the

Kristen: 9:19

forced friendship.

Paige: 9:20

Forced

Kristen: 9:21

proximity.

Amber: 9:22

Yeah. And so, I had a whole crew, there to wave goodbye at the, security or whatever. I was probably crying and you know, I wore my glasses'cause I don't think, I don't remember. Like, I think we couldn't wear our contact. I think you had to wear Glasses.

Paige: 9:34

they gave you those big old Yeah, I

Amber: 9:36

had, they call'em BCGs, birth control glasses because they're these giant like brown. Thick framed. Was that the

Kristen: 9:43

picture you showed me last night? Probably No. The before picture for you.

Amber: 9:47

don't have a picture in my brown BCGs. Okay. That was my, those were like my dress glasses because we were in our blues. Even they were still not cute, but They were issued, so, yeah. Whenever I first saw Paige, it was just her and her dad, and she was just really quiet. I was like, oh, I don't think she really wants to talk to me.

Paige: 10:03

I don't think everyone always says that I look mean, but I'm not,

Amber: 10:06

I just thought. You were shy. That's what I thought. I thought, oh, well she's shy,

Kristen: 10:11

You

Amber: 10:11

later now I'm like, oh, well you're probably just, we were all just probably a little scared. And I was just crying my eyes out saying goodbye to my family. But I was trying to be So not seeing Justin

Kristen: 10:20

Bieber?

Amber: 10:21

No, I'm sure that I was. Oh, she was. It was definitely baby. Yep. It was that song

Paige: 10:27

and I, it's crazy'cause my memory is not good at all. But for whatever reason I remember that. I don't remember like walking down the flight line. Behind you leaving the out processing area. Singing that song with your friends. Like that's what I remember.

Amber: 10:41

I don't remember that specific moment. I'm not surprised.

Paige: 10:43

Good old Jimbo next to me alright.

Amber: 10:45

so yeah, I remember sitting at Lambert and being like. hey, where are you from? And realizing we were from the same county. so it was just like, oh, we're. Wow. They're actually from the same county. That's kind of like a small Yeah. I mean, I know we're both joining the guard and could have been from anywhere that was pretty cool.

Kristen: 11:03

It was like meant to be. Yep. We just sure didn't know it yet. do you have any memorable first stories that still make you laugh? I feel like the Justin Bieber one is definitely one. But from Dallas or when you guys were first there and you're getting there, are there any memories that stand out that you still think back on and they still just make you chuckle a little bit?

Amber: 11:25

one of the things that you know, when you're going through bootcamp together, We were always finding something to keep us motivated to get to that next week. Sundays were always the most important day of the week to us. We called it like getting through basic was Sunday to Sunday, chow to chow. That was like how you counted down your days by your meals and your Sundays. Sundays were for grilled cheese and Jesus. That was because they served grilled cheese

Paige: 11:48

in the chow hall.

Amber: 11:49

And then we got to go to church, which was a time where you could actually. feel normal. Like you could be yourself.

Paige: 11:55

You're like fighting to stay awake the whole time. But still, it was enjoyable and it smelled horrific in there. Like it was nasty, but I don't remember. You don't remember the smell of all those sweaty people ran in a chapel. It was terrible. I don't remember that. We're all fighting to stay awake, but we still looked forward to it

Amber: 12:15

But church was great. And then. We actually ended up getting baptized while we were at basic training. Mm-hmm. Together. Mm-hmm. Yeah. We got baptized together and it was on, I don't remember the date, but I remember it was Father's Day. Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 12:28

Oh wow.

Amber: 12:28

so whatever that weekend in June. Would've been. You guys

Kristen: 12:32

would've been friends for like a month by then.

Amber: 12:34

Yep. It felt like forever.

Kristen: 12:35

Did it feel like, if you can remember back then is it one of those things where you felt like you'd known each other forever? Like just you clicked so much? Or was there still developing and getting to know each other?

Amber: 12:47

I would definitely say we were still getting to know each other. I mean, there was probably not even then like enough time to really

Kristen: 12:53

mm-hmm.

Amber: 12:53

Get to know each other. Right. Because we were constantly running around and doing things, but it was just more of like, even though we didn't know any of those other women in our flight before we got there either.

Paige: 13:03

Yeah.

Amber: 13:03

Us just like briefly getting to start our friendship before we left, I feel made us just that much closer. mm-hmm. Silly things like okay, in the shower there,

Kristen: 13:14

here's story

Amber: 13:15

You have to share a shower with all the women. It's one big shower with like 40 women.

Kristen: 13:20

like prison, right? It is, yeah.

Amber: 13:22

gotta know who you're comfortable sharing a shower head with.

Paige: 13:24

for sure.

Amber: 13:25

So, and you're not in there long, don't get me wrong, right? you literally have like two minutes to wash, so it's not like. There's that much time to be worried about anything.

Kristen: 13:34

propping your leg up to shave your legs and everyone, we didn't even get, weren't allowed to shave. We weren't

Amber: 13:38

allowed to shave until week,

Paige: 13:40

you had to earn it. Six.

Amber: 13:41

Nada. We were not allowed to use the razor.

Paige: 13:44

That's insane.

Amber: 13:46

It's pretty bad.

Paige: 13:47

forgot

Amber: 13:47

The summer in Texas.

Paige: 13:48

Oh yeah. Right there in the summer. We graduated July, eighth.

Amber: 13:53

I think it was an eight week

Paige: 13:55

Eight weeks,

Kristen: 13:55

yeah.

Amber: 13:56

Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 13:57

so you make it through BMT. You graduate. And then what happens? are you guys going to the same place? What?

Paige: 14:03

What happened? She went to Mississippi for school. And I went to Virginia. Both of our schools were six weeks,

Amber: 14:09

12

Paige: 14:09

weeks. I think

Amber: 14:10

mine was only like a month.

Paige: 14:11

I wanna say mine was four to six weeks. You were gone longer than six weeks. Did you guys keep in touch during that time? Mm-hmm. Yeah. Then we came home and we found an apartment together.

Amber: 14:21

Yep. I remember telling my mom Hey, you know, whenever I get back from school, I'm moving in with Paige and she's like, wait a minute, what? she's like, who? you didn't run this by me first. you can't just move out. I was like, oh, no, we're gonna be roommates, move in together. So that was pretty immediate once you got back home? I feel like, we did move back, probably with her parents for a little bit, at least until

Paige: 14:43

we could find a place. We looked at several places, but we ended up in Our first apartment and we lived

Amber: 14:49

life

Paige: 14:49

We lived

Amber: 14:50

a lot in a short amount of time. Yeah. it was freedom complete freedom.

Paige: 14:53

exactly how I described it. When we talked about it recently. It was like we were just completely free, Just did whatever we,

Amber: 15:00

were a little more confident probably. Yeah. Independent. Yeah. Like we were just like excited to be out on our own. So, when we sat in our notebook that we were gonna party, we did that, we checked that one off the list. We checked a a lot of times. Yeah.

Kristen: 15:16

Now before we get into that, I know there are stories, but you mentioned a list. Would this be an opportune time to share the list that you speak of?

Amber: 15:25

I can share a little bit about the list. so I guess at some point, I don't know when. I don't remember writing that. I remember when started this. I definitely

Paige: 15:32

started the list. That's my handwriting at the beginning.

Amber: 15:34

we made, a look forward to list. like a little bucket list for whenever we got home. we said different stuff that we were gonna do. some of it's checked off. We said we were gonna go to a Cardinals game, get wasted.

Kristen: 15:46

We did that.

Amber: 15:46

That was on there. we're gonna have coming home parties. We did that. Doing dinner, lunch, shopping on drill weekends, go to ihop, like just random stuff. Paige had started it and one of these on here, I'm still trying to convince Paige, but we said we were gonna get fish tattoos because we got baptized. little minis. she started it and then she's like, okay, add more sister. I added stuff that we were gonna find Guthrie a job and we're gonna have a spa day, go to the shooting range. just fun stuff. Gave us something to look forward to because that's what you needed. To get through those times was stuff to look forward to afterwards.

Kristen: 16:25

So you're living together in your apartment? Mm-hmm. Is it a one bedroom or two bedroom? It was a two bedroom. Did you guys still share the shower or had we moved on from that?

Paige: 16:33

moved on from that.

Kristen: 16:34

only had one, but we took them separately.

Paige: 16:36

We had a, guest book in our bathroom that I wish we could find. Can't locate it now. We tried to find it before this so we could tell you some of the stuff it said,

Amber: 16:42

anytime we had friends over. They could sign our guest book while they were using our restroom.

Paige: 16:47

And I would love to go back and look at that and see what's in there. but we can't find it.

Kristen: 16:51

always friends or in your partying times where there's sometimes people you may not have known as well? Well, at your place

Paige: 17:00

Well, there may have been a time or two where we were driving home and saw people in the apartment complex and said, Hey.

Amber: 17:08

Come over. Do you guys wanna come over? Yeah, we're gonna have some drinks tonight. I'm sure there were probably signatures in there where I may or may not remember. Yeah,

Paige: 17:15

probably

Amber: 17:16

Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 17:17

So what apartment stories would you like to share with our listeners?

Paige: 17:21

Amber named our apartment, what did we name it now? She named it number seven, get Money and she would check into our apartment.

Amber: 17:27

Oh yeah. Because you know, like on Facebook that makes more sense though, what you said last

Paige: 17:31

night.

Amber: 17:31

Okay. Because on Facebook you could create your own location to check into. That was a cool thing when we used to check in. I remember that. So we don't do that anymore, I guess. But we checked into our own place and then we'd tell our friends to check in as well.

Kristen: 17:46

Does it still show up as a location on Facebook and can you still see the check-ins on it? I don't know.

Paige: 17:51

That is a good question.

Kristen: 17:52

interesting to look at. Yeah. And if whoever moved into it kept up the tradition, oh, that would be excellent. I hope they did. I hope they did. All right, so aside from partying, what other experiences did you have when you're living together? And the reason I'm asking this is because a lot of people will say. Even the best of friendships once you live with somebody, you're not friends after that. So I'm curious, you guys survived all of that? Was there ever any question or any issues you had with each other or tips you could give to promising living situations with a friend?

Paige: 18:26

Honestly, our apartment was really small and it was still super easy to live together we also worked a lot. we were at work every single day during the week, and then we had drill one weekend a month, so we really weren't there that much. we were, 20 and 24, I think. We were hardly ever there if we were there, we were hanging out or sleeping. I don't remember a time where it was ever difficult.

Amber: 18:48

I don't think so either.

Paige: 18:49

We didn't really cook, so we didn't fight over dishes or anything.

Amber: 18:52

our meals were always Takeout there was one night where I was like, I'm gonna make spaghetti squash or an artichoke. And she's like, you're weird. Like, what are you feeding us? We ate it.

Paige: 19:02

It was good.

Amber: 19:03

That was the one meal

Paige: 19:05

we ever made. Chicken nachos. We made chicken nachos a couple times. Cy Sauce, Cy.

Amber: 19:11

Yep. We love that. That was like a staple.

Paige: 19:13

that, we

Amber: 19:14

either didn't eat or eat fast

Paige: 19:15

food probably,

Amber: 19:16

I'm pretty unorganized, so my room was probably always a mess, but I don't feel like it ever Became an issue.'cause it's a small space when you're in an apartment. Mm-hmm. we were messy. I was gonna ask

Kristen: 19:25

if one of you was more cluttery or cleaner.

Amber: 19:29

Oh yeah. No, that's me. I'm still a mess, so, yeah. You know, it's fine. But that's okay because she kept her

Paige: 19:36

clutter in her own room. mainly just clothes, shoes. It was really nice to have another closet to look at. We shared clothes. We still say that we wish our houses could be connected so we can share clothes too.

Amber: 19:48

in a dream scenario, We would have like two houses built together and there would be like. Hallway that connected us and that would just be our closet that we shared.

Kristen: 19:57

closet.

Amber: 19:58

that was the one.

Kristen: 19:58

love that idea. Like joining piece, one of you would have clothes and shoes on one side and the other one on the other side, but you could go through and Mix and match and pick and choose what you wanted to wear. That was really nice. I forgot about that. Yeah, we

Amber: 20:08

definitely shared closets.

Kristen: 20:10

So we make it through BMT, we make it through living together. And now we've moved on and we're getting married and pregnant. is this the part of the story we're at now?

Amber: 20:19

Well, it was before we moved out of the apartment. I don't remember how far into our lease,'cause we were only there one year. Mm-hmm.

Paige: 20:28

Well, we moved in in January. And I found out in October. So 10 months.

Amber: 20:32

After 10 months. Paige is like, I have something to tell you. And I was like, she tells me she's pregnant.

Kristen: 20:39

Ah.

Amber: 20:40

And I was like,

Kristen: 20:40

you kidding

Amber: 20:41

I was mad because this ruins all of our friendship plans.

Kristen: 20:44

Takes away your partying time for sure.

Amber: 20:46

what are we gonna do? Way to go Paige.

Paige: 20:47

ruined everything.

Amber: 20:50

It was exactly two weeks later. to the calendar day. It was two weeks later and I'm like, Paige.

Kristen: 21:00

See, I was joking about you guys having a pregnancy pact, but this supports my theory. You guys made it happen together?

Amber: 21:07

Yeah, so something was in the water in

Kristen: 21:09

our apartments, definitely something

Paige: 21:11

in the water

Kristen: 21:12

had to be his cycle

Amber: 21:13

We were Syed, it was the sink. Two weeks later I told Paige the same thing that I was pregnant and I was like, okay, well. Then it became exciting I think when we, yeah. So you said that was October when we both were,

Paige: 21:28

that was October.

Kristen: 21:29

Mm-hmm. See,'cause if I know, I could have gotten in on this pregnancy pact you guys, because I was surprised in July of 2012 that I was pregnant, so, oh, wow. Yeah. So I started it. You guys were just, you know, we were doing it together. We just didn't, just did, you didn't know it yet. But we were gonna be joining stories down the road. I know. And we will get there. But first. Mm-hmm. All so you guys get pregnant.

Paige: 21:53

Honestly, it wasn't exciting at the beginning. it's a scary time when it's not planned. Like yeah, it was scary, it was stressful, Amber had a stable situation and I didn't, so I felt like she was gonna leave me she was going to live in a house and I didn't know what I was doing. I had to go find another lease with another friend and it was really sad, honestly.

Amber: 22:17

And it's funny though, when you say that, I wouldn't have described it the same way either. my relationship was still fairly new.

Kristen: 22:22

Mm-hmm.

Amber: 22:23

So, even though it may have appeared stable, it was still new and uncertain. we had only been, Terry and I had only been together. Three months. We had met in July, the end of July.

Paige: 22:34

Yeah.

Amber: 22:34

So it was very new and it was like, if this doesn't work out, obviously you're not hoping for that, but it was new. And then when she moved in with another friend, I was like, I don't want you living with another friend. It was just like, scoot over, then I'll move in with you and Jerry.

Kristen: 22:47

you could share closets if you'd done that. Yeah. Well, you guys didn't move in together then, but you are still kind of doing life together. can we shift and talk about that and how close the boys have been all these years and how you're making it work now later in your life? Let's talk about what's going on. Well, the boys

Paige: 23:06

were born two weeks apart. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Just like when you guys found out. So everybody's on time. Good job. Yeah. Yep. We did it. Amber was there when both my kids were born. Like she was in the room. She was like the other person. our boys have always, been super close and we talk about how we would force them to be friends, but thankfully we haven't had to make them. They've just naturally, even if, they were previously in school together, they've played multiple sports together. They dance together. Now they don't necessarily have as many, you know, connections, but they still wanna remain friends and want to hang out. Mm-hmm.

Amber: 23:43

They talk, they wanna talk to each other. and cool story too. They also got baptized together. They chose that together now, like since they've been, and we didn't make them,

Paige: 23:51

we've told them.

Amber: 23:53

Yeah. They were both kind of talking about it around the same time We had told them our story, and I think they thought like, well, that would be cool too, you know? Mm-hmm. It's pretty neat. And they just, you know, they're just buddies. They've always have been and they think it's cool too. Like I love going back and showing them some of their old pictures and stuff whenever they were little together

Kristen: 24:13

Oh, it's adorable. Cute. The one with their little bow ties or whatever

Paige: 24:15

so adorable. Cute. I think that was, was that our first mother son dance? Yeah, I think it was. That was fun. Yeah, they're sweet. I love watching them grow up. They're cute.

Kristen: 24:26

So cute. do you think that the friendship that you both have has laid a foundation for them? Like they, see how you guys are with each other and emulate that? do you think if you both hadn't been friends and they had just found each other in the classroom, do you think they still would've connected?

Paige: 24:44

I do. I think they're very similar. They're both very sweet and sensitive and smart, and they have a lot of the same interests Bay Blades was a huge thing for them for a long time. Pokemon cards was a huge thing for them for a long time. They've played the same sports? Just because they have similar personalities, for sure.

Amber: 25:05

I think they still would've been buddies for sure. they would've made us all be friends as moms. Yeah. For sure.

Kristen: 25:10

Well, and that's a fun story too. So we've been talking about your friendship, but listeners may be wondering how do I even know you guys and how do I fit into the story? So it's because of the boys. Amber's son and my son were in. First grade together. it was the Halloween party and we had volunteered to, be the helping parents we show up and those are always so nerve wracking because I feel like, especially the school district we're at a lot of people, like Paige grew up in that school district and a lot of their friends are all moms now. So I always felt so weird at the parties'cause all the parents are already friends and I'm just kind of like there. So Amber shows up in her little military outfit and I'm like, oh, she looks really nice. Amber and I end up working the same little booth and we're making punch with dry ice Sprite and Sherbert and we don't know what we're doing, but we're doing it so well. And turns out, where I work, she had friends that work there and we had mutual friends. she said that she knew people that worked with me. I'm like, that's cool. Fast forward to February. Mother Sundance as you mentioned. I'm excited to see my new friend Amber there again with her son and she's like, oh, you have to meet my friend Paige. she tells me Paige's full name and I'm like, Paige, so and so. I'm like, I think she works with me. Mm-hmm. Turns out Paige, for several years I think, or at least a few years I've been working. Right across the hall from me at work, and we just never knew each other. I'd heard her name, but I didn't know her. So through Amber I met Paige, and now Paige and I have been even more friends. We walk at work now. Mm-hmm. We have sushi squad. Oh yeah. We hang out a whole bunch. our boys all dance together. Mm-hmm. So, it's just been fun. Me coming in On a late point in your friendship and kind of forcing myself to be your friend. Oh. you didn't have to do that. We just naturally

Amber: 26:56

became friends.

Kristen: 26:56

So it is cute how, all the roads have kind, and it was part of your pregnancy pack too. We just didn't even know it. just didn't know it. Yeah. it all worked out. So what other stories would you like to share?

Paige: 27:07

after Amber left me for Terry, they ended up moving to my hometown Where they live now, This house, it's like we just kept getting reconnected. Not that we ever disconnected. We've talked about this, we've never really strayed, but it's like the world Keeps us doing things that keep us together, you know, bootcamp kids and then her moving and then we both lost really close people from the same disease the same year. Amber lost her mama. Your mom? Mm-hmm. Who did? And my grandma. My mom's mom. Oh,

Amber: 27:38

okay.

Paige: 27:39

Mm-hmm.

Amber: 27:39

Yeah. So we had to go through that So many people have experienced, I feel like almost everyone now probably knows somebody that's been through the cancer battle. But until you're actually going through it, you just don't know what it's gonna be like, Mm-hmm. Yeah. it was just like one thing after another and like big things. it wasn't just little things that we went through,

Paige: 28:02

Then it was her wedding. I met Corey right after her wedding, and then she was in mine.

Amber: 28:07

So we did all the big things, you know, together.

Kristen: 28:10

But you also do the little things together too? We do. We do. And I think that even how your friendship started on that trauma note of everything, I think that made it so you guys were already bonded in a way for when any tragedy or any kind of trouble came that you already had that solid basis of the foundation. To handle whatever came to you. And I think it's beautiful how you have had each other and while nobody wants to experience death. At the same time, to be able to share that journey within similar time period and to also share birth stories around the same time, like you guys have, it's a beautiful friendship I think so many people would be jealous of or wish to have a friendship like what you guys have. So what advice would you offer people who want to have those longstanding friendships? what have you found that has kept. The friendship close, how do you guys make it work? Because you do, you both have, you know, your different work, your different family. What, what do you do to make it last?

Paige: 29:13

I would say plan. you have to be intentional about making. Intent. Intentional. New word. Intentional. Able to be Intentional. Yeah. Intentional about making plans with people you wanna spend time with. And if that means look at your calendar and find a day next month, that's fine, but you still have to make it work. Because like you said, we both have jobs, kids, spouses, pets vacations and extended families, and you just have to. Fit it in where you can. Honestly, if that just means like have a coffee together or go on a walk or go to a comedy show or whatever, we can, we just make it happen.

Amber: 29:56

Yeah, and I would just say also to other friendships out there, give each other a little grace. we do know that we're busy I don't ever worry that, if I don't talk to Paige this week she's gonna be mad at me we get that life is lifeing. give your friend a little grace and be there, if Paige needs something and she picks up that phone and needs me, I'm gonna be there. You still have to, show up in the moments where you need each other. but in the everyday stuff, it's okay if we don't, stay connected every single day.

Kristen: 30:25

Yeah.

Amber: 30:26

Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 30:28

I love that. All right, so I had some rapid fire questions for you, ohoh. All right. Because of some things you've said already, I think I know some of the answers. who's more likely to show up late?

Amber: 30:40

Me,

Kristen: 30:40

Amber.

Amber: 30:41

Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 30:41

Which funny story, Amber was at my house first tonight,

Amber: 30:45

Well, to be fair, we did say you guys change the time, so we were gonna start earlier. That's true. Technically we kept at the regular, I've been here

Paige: 30:51

I looked at the clock when I pulled in the driveway. Jeff might have stalled me a little bit before I walked through the front door, but I definitely parked at seven 30.

Kristen: 31:00

All right, who remembers birthdays better?

Paige: 31:04

Like each other's birthdays

Kristen: 31:06

Yeah. Or kids' birthdays. Like who's, I feel like who's better with it?

Paige: 31:08

we both are pretty good with that.

Kristen: 31:10

We both win. All right. let's see. We've already talked about who's the cluttery one, so, okay. if you can share your most iconic inside joke or memory. Do we have one? I don't know. What about Uhoh Beef jerky? What? She said beef jerky.

Paige: 31:34

I don't know

Kristen: 31:34

it can't be an inside joke if you're the only one that knows it. Paige so scared. She definitely knows it. You don't remember? I dunno. Now we all need to know what the joke is.

Paige: 31:46

the time we woke up

Amber: 31:47

It looked like we robbed a Casey's gas station.

Paige: 31:51

I have no idea how

Amber: 31:52

it got there. I don't, I dunno. I do remember. I remember, but I don't, you know, like, so there was a night where obviously we had been drinking and I'm assuming. We went to get snacks.

Paige: 32:07

So did you purchase

Amber: 32:09

the

Paige: 32:09

snacks? We don't know.

Amber: 32:11

we don't know where the jerky came from. and I don't know if anyone else was there when we woke up. And it wasn't like

Paige: 32:18

unopened beef jerky like Slim Jims I can't imagine we could have afforded that like beef jerk. He is not cheap. Right. And we did not have money. If you could have a bag of Jack Slinks, it's like$10. We didn't buy it. I don't know where it came from, but it was her.

Amber: 32:41

That's really all I got. I know it's not much, Well, we had,'cause that was a lot of our, like pre, pre kids And marriage and stuff was just us kind of partying So we had some wild nights. I remember one night,

Paige: 32:54

oh, the door,

Amber: 32:56

I woke up and went out and the front door was wide open

Paige: 33:02

I,

Amber: 33:03

I don't remember where you were. Were you on the futon?

Paige: 33:06

Yes.

Amber: 33:07

Which was our couch, by the way. That was just our futon. I think she was out there and I think there was maybe one shoe. outside the door.

Paige: 33:15

I dunno. But the door was completely open. It slept on the couch, which is right next to the front door. Like you could see me from the outside.

Amber: 33:23

He just was looking.

Paige: 33:24

he really was.

Amber: 33:24

course for a bit,

Paige: 33:25

but yeah, we're back.

Amber: 33:26

we had our moments. all of it's part of the journey.

Kristen: 33:30

Speaking of journey, dream girls trip destination. where would you definitely wanna go together?

Amber: 33:36

I don't know if we have a specific City or place, but I would say we would both wanna go somewhere where it's like peaceful. Yeah. Like with parks, like national parks or Place we could go hike and find coffee

Paige: 33:50

Washington State or Wyoming. Yeah. The Pacific Northwest.

Amber: 33:55

Yeah. Somewhere out in nature. For sure. Nothing crazy. Like back in the day I might've been like, oh, let's go to New York, or somewhere just crazy. And I would not choose that.

Paige: 34:06

I wouldn't

Kristen: 34:07

choose that

Amber: 34:07

Mm-hmm.

Kristen: 34:09

Would you fly or road trip?

Amber: 34:12

I would prefer road trip, but what would you say, Paige?

Paige: 34:15

I could do either. It depends on how much time we have.

Kristen: 34:18

I've gotta tell you, Amber One of my life goals right now is I wanna take Amtrak across the country. I've watched a bunch of YouTube videos. My husband makes fun of me for this because trains are so nerdy or I'm gonna die. It's one of those things, he doesn't like it, but they have this one and it goes from Chicago all the way to California. It's the California Zephyr and it goes through Colorado, Utah. the sites you see from what I've seen on YouTube are absolutely beautiful. And I think it would be so fun to just take a train trip across America and see things different from what everybody else sees. I just think it's one of my goals in life. Since my husband won't let me go alone, I'm looking for people to go on my train trip with me.

Amber: 34:54

I'll go with you. I think that would be so much fun. Wouldn't that be fun? Yeah, that would be really fun. That would be great. You just get to see so much, you

Kristen: 35:02

Yeah. And especially going through the west, like over the mountains and the past and the water and the wildlife. You can see again according to YouTube. which I think is legit. So, oh my gosh. Train trip. Sign us up. We'll go somewhere quiet. We'll be there like it. Right. We're gonna make it happen. So with that, we're almost done, but to wrap up, is there anything you wanna share about what this friendship has meant to you? Anything you'd wanna say to each other?

Paige: 35:36

Why is

Amber: 35:36

this the part where we're freezing

Paige: 35:37

I dunno. it caught us off guard, I guess. we grew up together. There is a very small age gap. we definitely grew up together and we've had each other through all the seasons, and I'm super grateful for that. the things that we've been through have shown we'll be fine no matter what. I've never worried about that.

Amber: 35:52

we've been through some of the hardest things people may go through their entire life. You know, that we've been through together, so yeah. I mean, I'm just grateful. I feel like we've maybe thrown the term around like low maintenance, but I feel like our friendship, it doesn't, I know sometimes people feel like friendship. can be really difficult, but I feel like, it just kind of works. It just kind of flows and we need that. We don't need another thing to be worried about.

Kristen: 36:14

sure.

Amber: 36:14

more stressed about the fact that we just kind of can rely on each other and have that. Friendship together and it just be one of the easier things. In life. life is not easy.

Kristen: 36:26

But it is when you have a friend like you have in each other. For sure. Well, Amber Paige, I wanna thank you both. I know it's not easy coordinating everybody's schedules, but I am so glad you both made the time to come over and share this, I love your friendship. I think it's an example for other people who want to have that easy, low maintenance, but always someone in their corner story. thank you so much for coming and sharing your story, and I'm sure we'll be talking to you both about different things along the way. Thank you.

Amber: 36:53

thank you for having us. This was so much fun.