Maryland....*sigh*

"Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher."

So, I got to spend time with some of my favorite people today several different groups of favorite people, but the one that i made me the happiest was being with my Maryland girls. There is just something about being with people that have known you forever and who know you SO well...they have known me in my awkward phases, in my happiest times, in my saddest times, at my brattiest (how do you spell that) moments and at my best (once or twice). At one point we were all each other had, we are best friends and we know everything about each other. We saw each other today because we went to Laura's bridal shower. Jen has already gotten married and Laura is getting married in May. We all have very seperate lives and have all changed tons since our awkward days of young womens where girls camp inside jokes ruled our lives. But when we get together it's the greatest feeling! I left today with the greatest feeling of complete joy. We have all moved on but when we get together nothing has changed. And we don't just live in the past. We update on each others lives now and we truly care about each other and love to be together. We can talk for hours, and we do. Sure, we spend some of that time reminiscing about the old times, we tell the same jokes everytime, so much that friends that aren't from Maryland now know those jokes too...Feed the Children, Hot...dog...spice ruff ruff, CHOCOLATE, you have CURVES...etc...etc etc....Maybe it's because we shared some of our most defining years, or maybe we are just lucky to have the closest group of young women spanning from the 19 year olds "the beehives", to the 21 year olds "the mean mia maids (who aren't mean anymore)", and on up to the 23-24 year old Laurels and it has caused us to have life long friends. In high school the only friends I did have were my church friends and I liked it that way. We knew we would be together on weekends, even if we were watching the same stupid movie to the point that I still can't watch it to this day, or playing the same old games or telling the same old stories. Our mom's always mocked us because we would run to each other and hug whenever we saw each other, even if it had only been since seminary that morning. But that is what made the moment so special when I went back home after my first, and hardest semester away from home and when I walked into the church Laura was there and when we saw each other we screamed and then we hugged and then we sobbed and all of the people that were around just stood back and smiled because it was a reunion everyone was happy to see. Point is...life changes, and people change, but moments don't change. The small moments that have changed who you are don't change. They are what make you...you... I know we'll always get back together and we'll always pick up right where we left off. And I know we will always know that we have each other...Those girls are a part of me and that's something that will never change. I am grateful to always be blessed with incredible friends that touch my life and help me to become better. Maybe this is all just a crazy jumble of nothing...but I bet if my Bmore girls were to read it they would just nod and say...yeah...i totally know what she means. Laura will always be the most sarcastic with a lot of love right there with it, Beth C will always be the funniest with a great big heart, Brooke will always be the one that got teased the most and wears the most pink and always willing to bring the girls together, Em D will always be the quiet yet hilarious one, Em K will always be the one that started out shy and suddenly came out of her shell to become the sweetest funniest girl you'll ever meet, Jen will always be the boy crazy, psycho crazy flirt that we all adore, Heather will always be the one with the dry sense of humor and the oldest, so the wisest, Andrea always the sweet one that you get to know and find out she's kind of a tease, Alex the seemingly quiet sweet one that is right up there on the sarcasm front with Laur, and me..well I think I have been told I have always been the protective one and the motherly one. So, my bmore girls, I love you and I will always cherish the experiences we have shared and I will always hold you closest to my heart because you are the ones that taught me what it was like to be a friend and what it was like to have a friend.