Sappy Moment Tuesday: National Friendship Month

So, with no help from any of YOU (which leads me to assume that Ashley really is the only one that still reads OUR "dual-blog"), I have come up with a topic all by myself. And after a brief absence, my mind has returned to its normal state of craziness and a million thoughts - and while not necessarily everything needs to be written down, it helps keep my head organized. So bear with me.

With that being said, I read way too many magazines. If I read as many books as I read magazines, I'd be really intelligent. Even more so than I am now :) I picked up an old issue of SELF magazine that I had among my collection this morning, and it flipped open to an article titled "National Friendship Month". It discussed a study done at UCLA about friendship among women and how important it is to our actual EXISTENCE (yes, I'm capitalizing for emphasis). The study suggested that the special bond between certain women "soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are." It went on to say a lot more, but the bottom line being that the women that nurture their friendships as one of the most important aspects of their lives, live longer, happier ones.

The article hit close to home because over the last couple of months, I have really taken the time to re-evaluate my relationships/friendships, and have learned to appreciate my own friends on a completely different level. Ashley and I were talking last night about our "relationships," and how they come and go, but the true friendships we have will remain consistent and constant our entire lives. I know I have let some of my friendships take a backseat at times, so I only hope I can be the kind of friend to those that have stuck by me through everything, like they have been to me. There are so many of my close female friends that have literally, breathed life back into me, on my darkest of days. I would not be the person I am today, nor the one I have yet to become without them (tear :)). I know there are days I take advantage of it, but will forever make a effort to always recognize them as the most important relationships I have.

So, thanks to all my friends...this post is a shout-out to you.

"You were the one who made things different, you were the one who took me in. You were the one thing I could count on, above all, you were my friend." - Tom Petty

Article:
http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/gender/tendfend.html

Grayden Blaine Dumas

Some of my best friends in the whole world, Cole and Lindsey Dumas had their sweet little baby boy yesterday. He is a whopping 8 lbs. 5 oz, and 20 1/2 inches long of sweet baby perfection! Cole and Lindsey are already amazing parents to the littlest love of my life, Laney, and Grayden is so lucky to be blessed into such an incredible family. I'm dying to fly home and meet him! Congratulations!!!

Happy Birthday Kar-Kar!

I am very fortunate to have so many good friends. One of those topping the list, is the sweet love of my life, Karlee Anderson, who turns 24 today! Karlee, or as our friends know her, Kar-Kar, is easily one of the most genuine, thoughtful and most amazing girls I've ever known. We have been close since our Alta High School days, and I know I could count on her for anything. She has always listened when I have needed someone to talk to, but unlike most people, she is able to give great advice and insight on almost any situation. She is smart, ambitious, lovely, and perfect in every way shape and form. Even though this sounds like an Anne of Green Gables moment, she is truly a kindred spirit. Since I'm doing a really good job with the "name-poem" I'm going to do one for her right now:
K-is for kind, because she is beyond that.
A-is for amazing, because she is that too.
R-is for ridiculously good-looking.
L-is for love, because she loves hard and everyone loves her too.
E-is entertaining, because she is always fun to be around.
E-is for eternal friendship

Thanks for being such a big part of my life Karlee. Happy Birthday!!

Ode to the Birthday Girl

There are few people in my life that have had quite the affect that Ashley Engar has had on me. She is easily one of my favorite people in the world, and today she turns 24! Ashley is one of those people that has a lot of friends and admirers because she is so freaking cool. I have technically known her since junior high when I would play against her in soccer. I really wanted to be her friend, but as this was my most awkward phase in life, and she was a lot more popular and only friends with the "soccer girls," we only knew each other as acquaintances. I knew deep down though, that one day we would be friends. High school was pretty much the same thing, until senior year, when she slowly crept into my life. College was our time. Ashley started out at UVSC, but sophomore year she transferred to the University of Utah and our life together began. We were majoring and minoring in the same subject, so we had a lot of classes together, and ended up rushing and joining the same sorority together. It was a match made in Heaven. We have been through a lot together, school, jobs, good/bad relationships, and have had a lot of fun times. In between all the fun times, there have been some hard life changes, and I have always been able to go to Ashley for support. I appreciate her because she always tells me like it is, and because I know she really cares. She puts me in my place and is always honest. She tries to make me cool like she is, by introducing me to new music, new people and stuff I was always afraid to do on my own. I love her because she has an opinion about everything, and can always give you a thoughtful, educated answer. She is passionate about what she believes in, and stands by her beliefs. I could go on and on, so in tribute to the birthday girl, I wrote a poem in the form of an assignment that she might give her students:
A-is for ambitious, because she has so many dreams and always encourages me to go for mine.
S-is for sarcastic, because she is.
H-is for hilarious, because she is that as well.
L-is for lovely...and beautiful and talented, etc. etc.
E-is for educated (and very opinionated).
Y-is for yawn, because she sleeps a lot, now that she is working 12 hour days.
E-is for eyes, because she always gets compliments on how pretty hers are.
N-is for nice, because she can have her moments.
G-is for great style.
A-is for admiration, because her friends feel this towards her.
R-is for RAD.

So, to sum this posting up, Happy Birthday Ashley! Thanks to your parents for having you, they did a great job. Also, thanks for being my friend. You are really good at it.