I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends..

I am of the belief that strong, healthy friendships are necessary to maintaining one's sanity and just life in general.  You need people in your life other than your spouse or your family that can be there for you in ways that your spouse or family can't.  They're there for things like reality checks, subjective opinions, brutal honesty, and someone to share the other half of that heart necklace with BFF written on it.  I also think that as a Christian, it is vital to spiritual growth because Jesus didn't just hang out with Mary and Joe.  Throughout the years, friends do come and go, but the ones that remain are utterly priceless.  Those relationships are so precious and valuable. They have made me into the person I am.  As I enter adulthood, I have been reflecting on these friends that have remained.  Despite multiple moves, different states, different countries, different regions of the US, college transfers, college graduations, and multiple jobs changes, these people have been my rock.  After saying all that, I'd like to take this time just to brag about some of these amazing people ...

Beni Atibalentja

I've been friends with Beni since 6th grade.  I've known her for more than a decade.  We have been through thick and thin and had our own personal trials and tribulations, but she is literally one of my closest and dearest friends.  She tells me when I need to go back to my closet and change because I look ridiculous, she tells me when I'm being too sensitive/not sensitive enough, when I'm being unreasonable, when I'm being high maintenance, but also tells me when I'm doing something right or when I'm doing something well.  She's also very good friends with John and knows him extremely well.  So when I need another opinion, I usually turn to Beni.  She tells it like it is, so incidentally, a lot of times problems get solved quicker.  I also highly respect her interests and need to be informed about important issues in the world today.  We have pretty similar views, and we do enjoy sitting around and agreeing with each other :-)  Oh, and she's hilarious.  And her laugh is indistinguishable from Elmo's, so even if what you said wasn't that funny, you'll laugh at her laugh.  Who doesn't love that?

At one of our various wine nights in college!

Emily Isenbarger

Oh, Mrs. Isenbarger.  I've known this beautiful lady also since 6th grade.  We lived together my first sophomore year of college.  Literally one of the best roommates ever.  You know how I know she's awesome... look at what she did for my birthday that year:

Chocolate chip cookies, Swiss Cake Rolls, and a homemade Funfetti cake.  She can read me like a book.

That same year, when John and I were broken up in college for the first time, she was there for me in a way no one else was.  I am so thankful for that and her presence during that difficult time helped me walk through a tough situation with grace.  She's also someone whose opinion I respect immensely.  She is a very calculated individual that lives with intention.  I also love Emily's sense of humor.  I feel the funniest when I make her laugh.  She does NOT laugh if something isn't funny.  But when she does laugh, it's this hearty, genuine laugh that makes you feel like freakin Groucho Marx.  Despite me living in Iowa for three years, her in Sweden for a year, and her living in Nashville for a year now, we still find a way to make time for each other.  I was also in her wedding last year and was beyond honored to be a part of her day.  She was a beautiful, beautiful bride!  Oh, and she has this knack for finding hilarious websites and YouTube videos.

Crystal Lake Lifeguarding days!

Thomas Maddock

I met Lonzell when I went to school in Iowa.  We started hanging out through a mutual friend, and for some reason, this guy was always, ALWAYS at our apartment.  So we started watching Family Guy, Madagascar 1 & 2, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar Liar, and our friendship began to flourish.  We both went to Greece for some college credit and since then have been really close friends.  He was an usher in our wedding and flew in from Seattle to be there!  We have about 981 inside jokes for some reason and all of them are equally hilarious.  Him and John have also become extremly good friends over the years and that means the world to me.  Lonzell is just a good guy with a good heart.  John and I can't wait to go see him in Seattle.  Lonzell is someone that I can say one word to and have him laughing for 30 minutes.  Plus, he has an amazing girlfriend, Briana, that I've had the opportunity to get to know.  They are an amazing couple that compliments each other perfectly.  We live a long plane ride away, but when I talk to him I feel like we never miss a beat.  He is the brother I never had.  And I think the son my mom wishes she had?  I think she likes him as much as she likes me..

Singing Michael Jackson, Black or White, while cruisin around the Greek Isles in 2008. 

Kathleen Kelleher

I'm noticing now that all my friends are hilarious.  I was going to start my Kathleen-brag session by saying how funny she is when I noticed a pattern.. anyways..  Kathleen is my world-traveling, fashion-wise, Happy Gilmore-loving lady.  We also have known each other since 6th grade and became really close in high school.  Sadly, she relocated to Syracuse in college but we have still maintained our friendship.  We've been through a lot, but man, she's pretty awesome guys.  I have a soft spot in my heart for this girl.  She has the most genuine and sincere heart I have ever seen. She loves kids and people with her every ounce of her.  Kathleen would cut off her leg if she thought it would help someone in some way.  She's one of those people that if she was your son or daughter's teacher, school counselor, or anything related to taking care of your child, you would be relieved.  And you know your kid would have the best time hanging out with her but they'd come home with some new annoying talent like making duck noises constantly.  She has a work ethic to be admired, her heart is as big as my face, and she loves with all she's got. 

Kathleen and I during one of her IL visits!

 I feel that when you become adults, get married, have kids, get jobs, make big moves, you have to make a concerted effort to cultivate and further these precious friendships.  Every day I'm trying to get better at this.  It does not come easy, but when you call your friend after not talking for a while and before you know it, it's 2 hours later.. life is good and there is definitely a smile on my face.

So, cheers to my close friends.  Cheers to those that I'm becoming closer to here in CU.  Cheers to everyone out there with a good buddy that they wouldn't be the same without.  Cheers.