I don't know what order to put my friends in, because they've all been important to me for different reasons. So I'll take a leaf out of the "Dancing with the Stars" book, and list them in no particular order.
Laura P - We don't hear much from each other these days, but she was one of my absolute favorite people from my home ward in Virginia. We were both out at college when her family moved into my parents' ward, so I didn't meet her until we were both home over a break of some sort. We ended up sitting next to each other in Relief Society, and struck up a 
conversation about how they really should give out goodies in Church more often. It's amazing how a candy bar can increase your attention span. As we were talking, the Relief Society president walked in with... a basket full of candy bars! It was awesome. I decided then and there that we were clearly meant to be friends. Our powers combined wielded powerful results! Or something like that. Anyway, we were friends from then on. She helped me get an apartment at college after I deferred a semester - it's hard to find a place to live in the middle of the school year. We went to dances and parties together, we dressed up like witches/mardi gras partiers/valentines together, we traded shirts in the ladies' bathroom while we were out with friends (and siblings) just to see if anyone would notice, and we spent more than one New Year's Eve together. We had a lot of fun, both in Virginia and in Utah. I do wish we kept in touch better, but I understand that she's got her hands full these days with her kids, as do I. As far as I'm concerned, we'll always be friends. I'm excited for the day when we can finally catch up with one another again. :)
conversation about how they really should give out goodies in Church more often. It's amazing how a candy bar can increase your attention span. As we were talking, the Relief Society president walked in with... a basket full of candy bars! It was awesome. I decided then and there that we were clearly meant to be friends. Our powers combined wielded powerful results! Or something like that. Anyway, we were friends from then on. She helped me get an apartment at college after I deferred a semester - it's hard to find a place to live in the middle of the school year. We went to dances and parties together, we dressed up like witches/mardi gras partiers/valentines together, we traded shirts in the ladies' bathroom while we were out with friends (and siblings) just to see if anyone would notice, and we spent more than one New Year's Eve together. We had a lot of fun, both in Virginia and in Utah. I do wish we kept in touch better, but I understand that she's got her hands full these days with her kids, as do I. As far as I'm concerned, we'll always be friends. I'm excited for the day when we can finally catch up with one another again. :)Ashley - I met Ashley my junior year of college. She was one of my roommates. I'd never met her before, but Laura (from the previous post) had worked with her in high school at the world's best chocolate shop and highly recommended her. Laura had been planning on living with us that year, too, but it didn't work out. I'm glad she suggested Ashley as our roommate, though -
Ashley is awesome. She was studying nursing, and was kind of the apartment "mom." She was the one we went to when we were sick or in pain, and she'd tell us what to do or take. When I went through a really painful breakup at the beginning of the school year, she made sure that I ate, even though I didn't want to. Aside from all the "mom" type stuff, Ashley was just plain fun. :) She was easy to talk to, and she was always willing to do crazy stuff with her roommates. For example: we had an FHE brother, Andy, who was about 9 feet tall. So for fun, Ashley and Minna stole one of Andy's shirts and dressed up like him. As in, Ashley sat on Minna's shoulders and they took pictures. It was hilarious. One of my favorite things about Ashley, though, was the way she would scream and mess up her hair whenever we said something that was embarassing or loaded with innuendo. She was laughing while she did it, of course, which made it all the more entertaining. Ashley has a great laugh. I'm so glad she roomed with me that year. Even now we try to get together with some of the old roommates whenever we're all in town at the same time. She's absolutely beautiful, in every way, and I'm blessed to have had her in my life. 
Minna - I mentioned Minna when I was talking about Ashley, because she was also one of my 
roommates that year. I first met Minna, though, when we roomed together my second year of college. It was her freshman year, but she didn't have any trouble fitting in with us older girls. She fit in right away. Minna is one of the most loving, sweet, happy people I've ever met. She can seriously make friends with anyone. And she's always smiling and laughing. Minna is still one of my all-time favorite people. We took dance classes together, asked boys out on dates together, pulled crazy stunts together, and even made a "reality tv show" based on MTV's "Becoming" where we made Minna into Will Smith and filmed 
the MIB music video. Heeheehee... Oh man, it still makes me laugh! Good times. :) Yes, Minna was (and still is!) a really fun person. She was more than that, though, she was also a really good person, gorgeous inside and out. She was always willing to give me a hug when I needed one, or sit and talk about things that were bothering me. She always put other people before herself. It's like selflessness came naturally to her. When she has kids someday, they are going to be the happiest kids on the planet because they're going to have the best mom EVER. I love Minna more than I can possibly say. She remains, to this day, one of my best friends and favorite people.
Layne - What can I say? Layne was my best friend for pretty much the whole time I was in
college. She was my assigned roommate my freshman year. I remember that I spent the entire summer praying that I would have the world's awesomest roommate, because I was so scared! I prayed that my roommate would be someone I could really be friends with. I got that and more. Layne wasn't just my best friend, who I spent all my free time with - she was like a sister to me. Sure, we got into fights sometimes, we yelled at each other sometimes, there were probably times when we even hated each other (just a little bit). It's natural, when you spend that much time with a person. Like I said - we were like sisters! But I loved her like crazy. We chose to room together for three of our years at college. And even when we weren't living together, we hung 
out all the time. Once we both got engaged, our focuses shifted to our fiancees and the families we were creating there. Since then, obviously, we haven't been so close. But we still keep in touch. And when we talk on the phone, we can go for hours. We don't, usually, because we both have small children to take care of, but it's certainly something that we could do! :) I can tell her anything. She's always been a good listener, and she gives great advice. Layne and I have had so many fun times together that I'll always treasure. College wouldn't have been half so fun if I hadn't been friends with Layne. She's smart, funny, beautiful, and basically awesome in every possible way. My pre-college prayers were answered 100%. I honestly could not have had a better roommate, or a better friend. I love you, Layne!
college. She was my assigned roommate my freshman year. I remember that I spent the entire summer praying that I would have the world's awesomest roommate, because I was so scared! I prayed that my roommate would be someone I could really be friends with. I got that and more. Layne wasn't just my best friend, who I spent all my free time with - she was like a sister to me. Sure, we got into fights sometimes, we yelled at each other sometimes, there were probably times when we even hated each other (just a little bit). It's natural, when you spend that much time with a person. Like I said - we were like sisters! But I loved her like crazy. We chose to room together for three of our years at college. And even when we weren't living together, we hung 
out all the time. Once we both got engaged, our focuses shifted to our fiancees and the families we were creating there. Since then, obviously, we haven't been so close. But we still keep in touch. And when we talk on the phone, we can go for hours. We don't, usually, because we both have small children to take care of, but it's certainly something that we could do! :) I can tell her anything. She's always been a good listener, and she gives great advice. Layne and I have had so many fun times together that I'll always treasure. College wouldn't have been half so fun if I hadn't been friends with Layne. She's smart, funny, beautiful, and basically awesome in every possible way. My pre-college prayers were answered 100%. I honestly could not have had a better roommate, or a better friend. I love you, Layne!Heather - Heather was the first of my post-engagement friends. All my friends I've mentioned previously were friends from when I was single. Heather, though, was friends with my husband before she ever met me. Her husband, PJ, is also friends with Ben, so they were the first couple that we were close to. We really hit it off when the boys had their mission reunion (they served 
in the same area, as well as having been friends in high school). She was late, and while we were waiting for her I discovered that PJ was planning to propose to her at some point in the future. I was so excited about it that I basically told her! I'm terrible at keeping secrets. Seriously, don't tell me anything! Anyway, they ended up setting their wedding date for about a month after ours, so we decided to go apartment hunting together. We ended up living right next door to each other in the basement of a duplex. It was awesome, because we always had friends nearby! When I found out I was pregnant with Evie, Ben wasn't home. I was too excited, I had to tell someone... So I went next door and told PJ to send Heather over as soon as she got home. Thus, Heather was the first person in the whole world that I told when I found out I was pregnant. :) Our friendship just continued to grow over the years, and even now we keep in touch pretty well. We send weekly letters to each other, read each others' blogs, and talk on Facebook. We even get to chat on the phone every so often, which is great! She's one of my favorite people, ever, in the whole world, and I love her so much. I'm sure we'll be friends forever. 
Laura H - Laura and I met when she was dating her husband, Robert. He was in the Air Force ROTC Honor Guard with my husband, so they were friends. Ben and I were already married at the time, and Evie was a few months old. The boys went out to California for an honor guard competition about a week before Laura and Robert's wedding. Naturally, we both wanted to go, but she wasn't technically allowed because they weren't married yet, and I just couldn't leave Evie for the four days that the boys were going to be gone. So the boys thought up a plan, and
they thought it up quick: Laura and I would drive out together the day before the competition, stay the one night, and then drive back home with the boys. That meant that Laura and I, basically strangers at the time, would be stuck in a car together for 15 hours or so. I was so nervous, I had no idea if Laura would like me. I'd seen her before, and been completely intimidated because she was so gorgeous. As it turns out, my worries were completely unfounded. She is just as incredibly beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We hit it off right away, and talked the entire drive to California. Seriously, there was barely a pause. The 15 hours felt more like 4 or 5. I even taught her how to drive a stick as we traveled, which was hilarious and a tiny bit scary. ;) She totally nailed it, though, and now she drives stick like a pro. Lucky for me, our husbands graduated at the same time and we both got sent to Hill Air Force Base for 6 months. Our husbands also went to IFS and ASBC together, which meant we got to spend even more time together. In fact, while we were at Hill, we lived just a few apartment buildings apart from each other. Our kids played together, we went shopping together, we took field trips to the zoo together - we seriously hung out all the time. And then we moved to different states for pilot training... We still keep in touch sometimes, but neither of us is very good at it. Our friendship is still strong, but we don't get to talk very often. I'm so excited, though, because in just another month or so they'll be moving out here, with us! It will be awesome to see them again, I'm so so so excited. I can talk to Laura about anything. She's seriously one of my best friends. With any luck, our paths with the Air Force will continue to cross over the years, and our kids will become as good friends with one another as we are.
in the same area, as well as having been friends in high school). She was late, and while we were waiting for her I discovered that PJ was planning to propose to her at some point in the future. I was so excited about it that I basically told her! I'm terrible at keeping secrets. Seriously, don't tell me anything! Anyway, they ended up setting their wedding date for about a month after ours, so we decided to go apartment hunting together. We ended up living right next door to each other in the basement of a duplex. It was awesome, because we always had friends nearby! When I found out I was pregnant with Evie, Ben wasn't home. I was too excited, I had to tell someone... So I went next door and told PJ to send Heather over as soon as she got home. Thus, Heather was the first person in the whole world that I told when I found out I was pregnant. :) Our friendship just continued to grow over the years, and even now we keep in touch pretty well. We send weekly letters to each other, read each others' blogs, and talk on Facebook. We even get to chat on the phone every so often, which is great! She's one of my favorite people, ever, in the whole world, and I love her so much. I'm sure we'll be friends forever. Laura H - Laura and I met when she was dating her husband, Robert. He was in the Air Force ROTC Honor Guard with my husband, so they were friends. Ben and I were already married at the time, and Evie was a few months old. The boys went out to California for an honor guard competition about a week before Laura and Robert's wedding. Naturally, we both wanted to go, but she wasn't technically allowed because they weren't married yet, and I just couldn't leave Evie for the four days that the boys were going to be gone. So the boys thought up a plan, and
they thought it up quick: Laura and I would drive out together the day before the competition, stay the one night, and then drive back home with the boys. That meant that Laura and I, basically strangers at the time, would be stuck in a car together for 15 hours or so. I was so nervous, I had no idea if Laura would like me. I'd seen her before, and been completely intimidated because she was so gorgeous. As it turns out, my worries were completely unfounded. She is just as incredibly beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We hit it off right away, and talked the entire drive to California. Seriously, there was barely a pause. The 15 hours felt more like 4 or 5. I even taught her how to drive a stick as we traveled, which was hilarious and a tiny bit scary. ;) She totally nailed it, though, and now she drives stick like a pro. Lucky for me, our husbands graduated at the same time and we both got sent to Hill Air Force Base for 6 months. Our husbands also went to IFS and ASBC together, which meant we got to spend even more time together. In fact, while we were at Hill, we lived just a few apartment buildings apart from each other. Our kids played together, we went shopping together, we took field trips to the zoo together - we seriously hung out all the time. And then we moved to different states for pilot training... We still keep in touch sometimes, but neither of us is very good at it. Our friendship is still strong, but we don't get to talk very often. I'm so excited, though, because in just another month or so they'll be moving out here, with us! It will be awesome to see them again, I'm so so so excited. I can talk to Laura about anything. She's seriously one of my best friends. With any luck, our paths with the Air Force will continue to cross over the years, and our kids will become as good friends with one another as we are. 
Fabiane - Fabi is another Air Force friend. She was also a little intimidating to me when I first met her, because she was so beautiful and exotic (she's from Brazil). As I got to know her, I discovered that she's seriously one of the sweetest, most optimistic people on the planet. She smiles all the time, and her smile always makes me happy. When Laura and I were moving up to Hill, Fabi and her husband moved right along with us. The three of us were together at Hill, and
at ASBC with our husbands. All those outings and shopping trips I had with Laura were with Fabi as well. We were like the three musketeers or something! I know, I'm cheesy, but that's how it felt. The three of us could talk for hours, and we relied on each other a lot while our husbands were gone TDY. The thing I love most about Fabi is that she's so upbeat. Even when she's going through something rough, she's happy and optimistic. This last pregnancy of hers, for example, sounded really rough from what I heard. But every time I heard from her, she was so cheerful! I would have been complaining and cranky. But Fabi is completely sweet and happy. It's amazing! I admire her so much. I wish I could be more like her. I'm excited because, like Laura, Fabi will be moving out here soon! I'm so excited to see her again, and meet her new baby! Maybe in the brief time that we'll both be living here, some of that amazing cheerfulness will rub off on me, too. :) Heaven knows I'm too crabby a person by far, I could certainly use a dose of cheer. I love you, Fabi, and I can't wait to see you again!That's it for the short list of the super-meaningful friendships, but that's not to say that the aforementioned ladies are my only friends. I've met all sorts of wonderful people over the years, and I get excited every time I run into an old friend somewhere. I'm so privileged to be moving all over the world with my husband, too, because I know that my list of friends will just continue to grow. Thank you to all of you who have been such a wonderful part of my life: Jenny, Stacey, Kelsey, Klissa, Kim, Rachel, Lindsey, Elisabeth, Megan, Raquel, Emily, Cammie, Amber, Beth, Katie, Amy, Angela, Anna, Cassie, Tami, Ellisa, Elsa, Leighanne, Jeimy, Liz.... and lots more! I love all of you! Thank you for being such a fantastic part of my life. :)
2 comments:
WOW! THANK YOU CASSY! THOSE ARE THE SWEETEST THINGS I EVER HEARD ABOUT MYSELF! We had a good time at Hill huh? I am very excited to see you guys again, and I feel so honored to be part of you group of friends! Bless your heart, how sweet! We love you girl and have been very blessed with you friendship(wish I could see your musical Christmas presentation, you know how to bring the spirit with music!!and I love it), see you soon!!! hugs fabi.
Thank you! I was thinking about being pregnant with Evie today...how I knew first :) how I could always come over and chat and you didn't seems to mind. That was great. Thank you for always taking the time for me no matter how long it has been since the last time we have talked. Love you!
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