4 years of my life I spent out in Utah. During those good years I had many friends that touched my life in their own special ways. Now call me nostalgic or sappy or whatever you want, but I just wanted to go through some of those people. They all helped me become the person I am today. I thought about writing this post a few weeks back but decided not to because I thought it might embarrass someone or whatever. Then Sunday in Relief Society we had a lesson on gratitude. The teacher talked about the importance of expressing it and it made me think of this post. Maybe, there is a better way to express my gratitude for the many people in my life. But I think this way it also helps me recognize what each person has done for me. And hopefully it's a little refresher so I can continue to try and learn these lessons. This post will probably be long, so feel free to skim or skip it altogether. :)
FRESHMAN YEAR
Becky "Dos"- Great example of how one simple act can make someone's bad day a good one. She was so observant of how others were feeling. I can't count how many times she did small simple things that really changed my day and ultimately my outlook on life.
Rachel- Taught me "somethings are worth getting up at 6am to wait in line out in the cold" :) Seriously though, she was so good about making everything fun. I am pretty sure there was never a time that Rachel and I got together and didn't laugh and have the best time ever. Also, she taught me laughing is contagious. And she has the best laugh ever!!! She was also my sports buddy! I am so grateful I had her to go to sporting events with and watch them on tv! My college years would have been very boring if it wasn't for her.
Lisa-A fantastic example of what a true friend is. She always seemed to be doing something for her friends. She truly does all she can for the ones she cares about. I probably still owe her for everything she did for me.
SOPHOMORE YEAR
All the guys I hung out with Sophomore year- I definitely learned many "dos" and "donts" of dating from them. :) But I also learned many other things in my time with them through their examples and discussions with them. I have some very fond memories from times with them. Specific things from some of them: Tagg- A great example of sincerely making a person feel special and appreciated. I still have a list of "Taggisms". Wes and Brian- They were good examples of always trying to do the right thing. Jason K.- He showed me the beauty in not rushing. Taking time to sit back and enjoy God's creations. Devon and John- Sometimes you just have to let loose and act like a little kid. We always had a good time enjoying life. Jake- He always took the time to listen to me when I needed someone to talk to. Jake was there when I truly needed a good friend.
Char- Thinking of Char brings to mind being happy, positive, and many other good thoughts. Char was a perfect example of having a good attitude. Even when life would try and bring her down she would take a positive look on things. She loves life and is always up for anything. I truly loved that about Char. We went on so many fun adventures!
JUNIOR YEAR
Summer of 2009 Group- That summer was one heck of a good time, as summers always are. These people showed me that sometimes staying up till 5am talking, playing drinking games with lemonade, watching tv shows, and doing whatever else is better than sleep. Sleep you don't remember but I will always have those memories. (Until I have dementia, and at that point I will catch up on all the sleep that I missed) One more thing, the group was extra fun because of our dynamic. We were all funny and crazy in our own way which made for some pretty fun and funny times!
Rusty- He was true to himself. Rusty is one of the funniest and best guys around. And one of the wonderful things about him is he doesn't put on a show. He is who he is. And I LOVE it!
Lindsay- She is one of those people that are good all the time. :) She is a wonderful example of being nice to everyone and being everyone's friend. Another thing she was way good at supporting and being involved in Church things. She was such a great example to me in that way.
Mary- I like to think that I became more witty after knowing Mary because she is the most witty person I know. And I love it. (Though her skills probably didn't rub off on me.) Mary helped me with lots of little things that she probably doesn't even realize: spending my money wiser, being more organized, listening to music on youtube, wasting time on the computer ;) etc. She was also good at making the most of the time we had.
Matt- One of the funniest people I know, but he knew there was a time and place for it. And this may sound funny, but he was truly humble too.
Andrea- She was an example to me in leaving Utah and moving somewhere totally on her own. She had so much courage and spontaneity. Her example helped me realize change is a good thing and I could move on with my life too. She also made life fun all the time! You couldn't help but enjoy yourself when you were with her.
SENIOR YEAR
Brett and Josh- They were my home teachers my Senior year. And quite possibly the best I ever had. They truly cared about me and made such a great effort. Both were such good examples for me when I needed it.
Guys at BYU Food To Go (Spencer, Drew, and Chris)- These guys made work so much fun. But they also were such good examples of how a husband should treat their wives. I often thought that I want my future husband to have some of the qualities these guys have.
Todd- Todd was such a great example of always trying his best at everything. Even on days when we didn't really want to work he would put in 100%. Something I also really liked was that he was always reading a new book on something that interested him. It showed the importance of continuing your learning outside of school.
Ben- He showed me that simple funny texts can really make your day. Ben is always making people smile. And he is so good about giving people compliments. You always feel good about yourself when you are around Ben.
LAST TWO :)
Michelle- I think I can honestly say she is the nicest person I have ever met. She sees good in everyone and would never say anything bad about anyone. Sometimes I teased her about being too nice but it was something I really did admire. Being friends with Michelle was easy because I knew she would never judge me. If I was to be more like anyone I would want to be more like Michelle. I loved being able to act like a little kid with her and just enjoy life. We never cared what anyone thought and that made life so much happier!
Vanessa- She was with me all 4 years and I have NO clue what I would have done without her. She was what I needed in a best friend at college. It was pretty perfect: what we needed to be alike on we were alike. But then we were opposite on the things that we needed to differ on to help each other. It was great to have her around. She was my family away from home and I always knew she cared for me and would be there for me, even after she was married. She was an example to me in many ways. Some included: the ability she had to love people, her hard work ethic, her strong relationships with her family, and enjoying life's simple pleasures. Someday I wish to have as good of a relationship as her and her husband have. They are both great people and I am so happy to call them my friends. (Woah, this one was little sappy. But it's okay because it's how I feel and I really love Vanessa and TJ)
Sorry for the soapbox. If you read it all, I applaud you. If you didn't, I understand.
THE END. Finally.
