This week is quickly becoming all about featuring my friends. I'm okay with that because I have amazing friends.

You already know my best friend Doreen. She maintains a presence here at klog, and I've written about her here and here. Today is our due date. We both were due to be born the same day, same year, same town. It's unfortunate neither of us stuck to that (she was early, I was late) because then we could say that we've known each other since birth.

Anyway, I figure today is an appropriate day to blog about the partnership that is Doreen & Kelly. Or, as we sometimes said growing up, Dorelly. That's right, WAY before there was Bennifer there was Dorelly.

Many of the best memories of my life include Doreen. Here are just a few of the ones that come to mind today.

We have a thing we say to each other: LYME. It stands for something meaningful to us. We're a bit like an old married couple, I suppose. Not surprising, considering our friendship is the longest relationship either of us will ever have. We've been best friends since 2nd grade.

We talk fast. Individually and especially together. In elementary school we went to speech therapy together and had to talk with a met-ro-nome. It didn't help much. There are times when no one else can follow our conversations. That can be a good thing.

We wrote a mystery novel together in third grade. We worked on it every afternoon during the bus ride home. It was really good. No, REALLY good. We're not sure what happened to it, although there's a chance it's tucked away in my parents' attic. (Note to self: Find that!)

She totally looked like DJ Tanner growing up, and I thought that was so cool. Of course, since I was too young to be Rebecca, I wished I looked like DJ Tanner. The reason for this was, of course, JOHN STAMOS. (You said it right along with me, didn't you?)

We have traveled to France, Spain, and Mexico together. (While we were in Madrid, she threw a little surprise party for my 16th birthday.) Italy is next.

We have a history of choreographing silly dances to songs. "Boot Scootin' Boogie" and "Calendar Girl" come to mind, although there were others I've forgotten.

The idiot I dated in 8th grade Doreen had dated in 6th grade. She dumped him because he was making fart sounds with his armpits. I should have trusted her judgment then. I definitely do now.

The closest I came to ruining our friendship was due to jealousy over what I perceived to be her flirtation with Rob back in high school. Fortunately, we spent part of an evening sitting on the curb at Hardee's talking it out. Nowadays one of the things I appreciate most about each of them is the bond they have with each other. Sometimes I just sit back and watch them talk and think, "Damn, I am the luckiest person alive."

Doreen has been by my side for it all - 4th grade cheerleading, summer camp, swimming lessons, illicit movie dates, falling in love, four years of college, and the day I married Rob. And, fate willing, the Dorelly legacy will still be going strong when we're 90.

Happy due date, Doreen. I cannot imagine my life without you in it.