Lately I have been planning a trip to San Fran, Vegas, and the Grand Canyon with three of my closest girlfriends. I am so excited about the trip but the planning has got me thinking about my life before I met these three amazing women. At twenty I moved across the country to a city called Upper Montclair located just twelve miles from Manhattan. I moved in part to satiate my spirit of adventure and have new experiences. I knew that would happen moving somewhere all alone and to location so close to so many different cultures, events, and people. What I was not expecting was to come away so different than when I had arrived.
Growing up I was never a super social person. I didn't really like large groups and I think I was even a little unsure of myself. Someone made a comment me to me recently about how I am able to talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable. Man if this person would've seen me five years ago! Awkward, quiet, insecure...I also had very few close friends growing up and I keep in touch with an even smaller amount now!
I guess my reason for writing this is to recognize my fabulous New Jersey friends...From them I learn to have close relationships, I learned to serve and be served, I learned who I was and even better about who I want to become. Mostly I learned that no matter where we all end up we will ALWAYS have each other and even since moving away I always feel their immense support for me. I believe these relationships were not built by happenstance and that they have changed me for the good. I'll never forget the first time I hung out with them we made Sunday dinner together. Jill was giving me crap for being "one of those Utah mormon girls". Or the many times RiLee and I would have sleepovers and stay up late chatting like teenage girls. So many conversations with Shandis about life and watching her become this phenomenal mother that she is. Jenn and I and the weekend trips back and forth from Utah and Idaho. So many memories!
I am so GRATEFUL for them and I am so excited to spend time with them this summer camping, hiking, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, seeing the Hoover Dam and being with my ladies...well at least three of them. (Three can't make the trip) Someone once said that we become that with which we associate...I would feel honored to become even close to the caliber that these women are. I am blessed.
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