To my favorite roommate

I just wanna say a few words for my first and probably favorite roommate.

My entire life growing up, Jenn could not accept herself unless she was perfect. And not in like a psychotic, obsessive way.

She always got straight As (we’ll ignore those few stray Bs), was a three sport varsity athlete for most of high school, made Deans List too many times to count, and has successfully competed any task she decides to tackle. She was perfect in the “I worked my ass off for this” way. Sorry Grampa.

To go with this personality trait, she’s also very neat & well put together. The kind of person who puts her plate in the dishwasher right when she’s done eating, she’ll make her bed when she gets up, her homework would be done more than five minutes before class started…you know, a kiss ass. You’d think it would be a nightmare for me to share a room with a neat freak adult trapped in a ten-year-old's body, but I promise you, I was worse than any nightmare she could even think of. All those nice things I said about Jenn… I’m honestly the opposite. And I wanted to admit it right here. I’d like to think that I was merely just being a thoughtful older sister, ticking off the “worst possible roommate” position off her list. Don’t worry about Jeff, he’s fine, I swear, I’m not that bad anymore.

I’d also like to think I was the best possible roommate, because I had some of my best possible memories in that room. Laying in bunk beds, and then that stupid old day bed that Jenn made me have the trundle bed for because “I like Harry Potter and it would be nice to relate to him a little.”

I’m totally kidding she never said that, but you all know she totally would.

But from staying up late just giggling to the whispered “lizabeth…you awake? Can I tell you something real quick?” conversations that always ended up being way more than just one thing, I’ll never forget those nights with Jenn and Sargent Peterson. My memories with you are just as you’d like them to be…perfect.

My entire life growing up, Jenn could not accept herself unless she was perfect. But that was until she met Sam.

Being as close as I was (or like to think I am), to Jenn, I noticed quickly that she was suddenly a lot happier overall, seemed to be more and more comfortable and confident in herself. I didn’t think she could get more confident but there she goes again doing the impossible. Then she spent the summer with Sam, and I knew instantly this was different, and in a great way. Her smile was the biggest I’ve ever seen.

Then, on Christmas Eve 2019, I told her I was pregnant, and she said she had a “secret” to tell me too. She told me she and Sam were more than friends and my response was a fake shocked “NOOOO!” and I quickly told her it was not a secret and I knew for a while. C'mon you’ve seen them together you can’t help but see the love between them. Since then, Jempy with a tempy has turned into Jempy with a big goofy smile.

Sam, I’ll forever be grateful for you somehow showing Jenn that it’s okay to not be perfect all the time, and to embrace every second of this life. You guys have the most rad life I’ve ever seen, and I’m always jealous and ecstatic for you at the same time. You’ve loved Sadie since the second you found out about her, and I’m so thankful Sadie has her auntie Saaaaaammm.

Thank you for making our lives sweeter, and not just with the endless gallons of sap water empire we just married into! Congratulations on officially snagging the coveted 4th Wadman daughter title, and welcome to the circus.

Here’s to you both and your perfect love 💕