Friends...my other family

While I love my family dearly, I am really enjoying the time I've gotten to spend with my friends this year. I have started to develop some really good friendships these past, oh, 8 or 9 months and I am feeling so blessed. Now, that does not mean that my other friends mean any less to me, because I still love them very very much. I think it's just that I spend so much more time with these girls.

My best friend, Meg, and I have not seen each other in way too long. We still talk through facebook and occasional calls, when we can squeeze them in. Both of us are entirely way too busy, it seems, to get our schedules coordinated. She is never far from my mind, though. I miss her face! I miss all the fun things we used to do together: dancing in our cars at red lights, telling jokes that only we would laugh at, eating her famously delicious spaghetti (mmmmm), I could really go on and on. She is and will always be my best friend. We practically share a birthday (only 42 hrs. difference!), so we're joined for life in my book. She has been there for me in some really rough times, and I have been there for her as well. When things get dark and there seems to be no one who will understand, we always manage to find each other. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Carissa, sweet Carissa. She is absolutely amazing! I met Carissa technically my first semester at NSU, although we didn't really talk to each other much until my second semester. We've been in a class with each other EVERY semester that I have been enrolled there. I just now realized that. That's quite impressive, considering I only take 2 English classes per semester. She is quiet and reserved, but she can be so hilarious! I think it is even funnier because it is so unexpected. She can be pretty ornery, too! I am just so glad that God has blessed me by putting her into my life. She motivates me to do my very best at school, she listens when I'm having a really bad day, she makes me laugh when I really need it (even if she doesn't realize she's doing it), and she genuinely cares about me (or at least that's how she makes me feel). She is one amazing friend and even though she's graduating in a week (!!) I know that we'll still have our semi-weekly Girl's Night. Girl's Night has been my saving grace this semester. :-)

My dear Joy. I don't know. It's like we have known each other forever, but have really only gotten to know each other since about January. She is hilarious! She is sarcastic, which I absolutely love, but she also can be the sweetest person in the world. When I'm with her, I know that whatever I say will be kept in confidence if needed. I laugh more with her than I have in a really long time. She knows what to say to cheer me up when I'm feeling extra blue. I feel like I can tell her anything and know that I'm not going to be judged for whatever it is. I'm not perfect, and I don't have to be that with her. She lets me just be me. I don't have a lot of girlfriends that I feel like I can be 100% open with, but I feel that with her. We may not have had the same life experiences, but we share similar personalities which makes it easier to communicate without feeling like we're competing or putting on a show. I'm looking forward to going to Oregon this summer because Joy gets to go with me. It will make the trip so much fun having someone like her there to brighten my day! She's simply stunning! I admire her for her gusto and her willingness to not let anything get her down.

I look forward to getting to know Cory much better. From the few times that I've been able to hang out with her, I've had such an incredible time. She's funny and sweet and I can see us having a lifelong friendship as well. Thanks, Cory, for accepting me into your life as well!!

Thank you girls for being my friends! You'll never know how much it has meant to me to be able to have you all in my life. I feel like we are joined for life. No matter where any of us goes, we'll always have each other. I really believe that.