Coffee With Purps

Coffee Conversations with a Purple Girl

Days of Thankfulness: Friends

I was really debating on whether or not I was going to do a friends portion of this series. So we’ll see how this goes. My main hesitation is that I can’t possibly give all of my friends equal mention or attention and I don’t want to risk leaving anyone out. It would also take forever to name everyone and and give reasons for my thankfulness so I’ll try to do them in chunks, I guess. Here we go. Today I am thankful for my friends.

Ren fair 13 and stuff 042Starting with my high school friends, I’m am thankful for the people that I met in high school, for the people who shaped my life while I was learning who I was. I’m thankful that I am still in contact with some of them and can keep up with their lives on Facebook, even if we never see each other. I’m thankful for my Desiree, who has been in my life since middle school and with whom I always fall so easily back together with. I am so thankful that we can grab coffee after a year of not speaking and talk like we’ve seen each other every day in-between. I’m thankful for my Courtney who always makes time to hang out while she’s on break, even though she’s super crazy busy getting her masters. I’m thankful for these two ladies and many others who are still in my life and who have passed out of it as well. Those I wrote with in the literary arts department, who encouraged me through high school and who helped form me into the person I am today. I am thankful for my high school friends.

Just a few of the people I love best.

Just a few of the people I love best.

I am thankful for my college friends. I know, I already talked about them a little bit in my Geneva post, but I am still thankful for them today. I’m thankful for my transfer friends, for Natalie D. and Danielle especially, who have been with me through some hard stuff and some amazing things and still want to hang out with me when we can. I’m thankful that they are close by and that we can have girls nights every so often. I’m thankful for my INK friends, for Grace and Natalie B. and Dakota, who kept my writing sharp and helped me hone my craft through college. I’m thankful for our weekly meetings, for the time we took to free write and read our work and our round robin stories. I’m thankful for people to commiserate with, to laugh with at Dan William’s craziness and to enjoy discussions with, even outside of class. I’m thankful for letters that keep us in contact, even when we’re not so great at keeping up with them. I’m always happy to get a letter from a friend.

I’m thankful, again, for my theater family. For the friends that I bonded with over lines and sets and costumes and props and crappy Sheetz food. I’m thankful for Lindsey and Aaron and Jacob, even if they did wait to start a D&D group until I left. I’m thankful for Haley and Martha and everyone who was in The Little Prince. I’m thankful for Mindy who brought us all together and got us through some hard nights of blocking and light cues.

I’m thankful for my roommates, those that I actually lived with and those who let me sleep on their couch for a few years. I’m thankful for Jess who took care of me junior year; who fed me and looked over my SCS work and welcomed me to her couch for weeks at a time. I’m thankful for Bonnie and Debbie who gave me a spot in their apartment senior year. For their consideration and their caring and for the best birthday surprise treasure hunt ever.

I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.

I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.

And, of course, I’m thankful for my Twirly. I’m thankful that God brought her into my life to walk beside me through our last two years of college, to encourage me as I floundered my way through my relationship, as I grew as a person and figured out what I wanted. I’m thankful that I had her to take care of me, to lend me her couch along with Jess, to give me swipes when I needed food and to make sure I ate. I’m thankful that we could live together senior year, and have an apartment all to ourselves second semester. I’m so thankful that I got to be part of her wedding, that I could stand up and tell her how much she means to me, and that we can offer her our apartment when they visit, for the selfish reason that it means I can see her more while she’s here. I’m thankful that we’re practically the same person and I can say pretty much anything and she’ll just understand what I mean without questioning it. I am so thankful for my Twirly.

I’m thankful for mentors who have guided me through my walk with Christ and my new life as a wife. I’m thankful for Sue who has been guiding me since early high school, who has been there to teach me the ways of a godly woman, how to examine my heart and my relationships to see if they line up with what God has called me to represent. I’m thankful for her guidance and encouragement as I approached my relationship with Logan and it’s many developments. I’m thankful for Michelle who took me under her wing and accepted me as soon as she met me. I’m thankful for her advice and encouragement and mountain of reading materials. I’m thankful to have someone to talk to about life and how it’s changing and turning and who can tell me it’s going to be okay, because she’s been there and she knows. I’m thankful for her willingness to teach me, to show me what she’s learned about being a wife and impart her wisdom on me. I’m so thankful for her support and gentleness and kindness to me and the incredible love she has for my family.

Finally, I’m thankful for new friends. For new couples that we have made friends with since graduation. For the fact that God is still bringing people into our lives that we can connect with and grow with and learn from. I’m thankful for Casey and Lindsey who we play D&D with. I’m thankful for these ladies that I get to see nearly every week, who are right where I am in life; forming families, growing as people, figuring stuff out. I’m thankful that I have new friends who share my interests.

I have been so incredibly blessed with so many amazing people in my life. So many more than I have mentioned here. I’m so thankful for each person God has brought into my life and helped me grow as a person and as a Christian. I’m thankful for friends who have been with me through good times and bad; who have seen me at my worst, seen me break down, seen me weak and broken, and still love and forgive me. Today I’m so thankful for all of my friends. What are you thankful for?

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