That's what friends are for!

Tonight we had a CES Fireside and Elder Rasband spoke on friends. I have had SOOO many friends and mentors in my life that have helped me for the better!! I just love people and feel blessed to count so many of them as my friends! I thought I'd just list a few of my favorites:

Parents: I always have and always will love my parents more than I can say! I'm not your typical kid in that I've never had any problems with relationship with my parents. I mean, of course I got frustrated with them sometime, but they always did what was best for me and have always given me everything I need and more! Their examples have truly made me who I am, and I am glad they are eternally mine!! My mom is so purely good and truly loves everyone and loves to learn! I only hope I can be slightly as good of a mother as she was to me! My dad is exactly the kind of guy I want to marry one day! He has a great sense of humor, and I know he loves the gospel because he shares it with everyone!!!!! He loves to have a good time, and we joke that it's a good thing my mom married him or else she wouldn't know how to have fun! Good thing she did! ;) They have also taught me so much about love and marriage! They aren't perfect by any means, but they both love each other and their kids and that's all that matters really! I miss them both so much when I'm at school!

Siblings: My siblings have been some of my bestest friends!!! Especially my sisters!! I think probably since I'm so much younger than all of them, there's enough age separation that we didn't ever get into girl/sister drama, so I love them all to death!! They are all so smart and beautiful and fun and creative and just amazing! I honestly don't know what I'd do without them!! Emily has been my phone buddy since I've been at college and has provide endless hours of counsel, advice, lovin, and just a listening ear! (She also selected quite the stud of a husband, and produced an ADORABLE daughter!! ) Kristen is my sister date sister! We go on all sorts of adventures together! When I was little she would come home from college and take me on sister dates, and just over Christmas we were inseparable and did everything from working out to running errands to the new schnucks to buy food for the masses to going on high school reunion lunch dates! Elizabeth is my goofster in crime. She and I can quote movies and be goofier than anyone's buisness! And apparently we have a lot of inside jokes that we think everyone else is in on, but we just live in our own little world! Of course I love my brothers too, but there's just nothing quite like a sister! I have always wished I was closer to Greg, since I didn't get to know him very well being 12 years younger, but I had a blast with him this summer and I really admire and respect him! He is so smart and just a fun guy!! I also happen to HIGHLY approve his choice in women and can't imagine a better sister in law than Lisa! (Michael, he's set the bar pretty high there buddy!) She fits perfectly into our family and I love their children to death! And of course, there's the rear end of the family, my little compadre, Happy boy :) Of course, I didn't fully appreciate his awesome-ness till i was a good 1,000 miles away from him, but I can't imagine life without my little buddy! Being the tale end of the family, we've gone through a lot together! We've shared numerous trips, church activites, school, friends, chores, fights, toys, etc....but last night I was talking about my childhood with my roommate, and I can't talk about it without talking about Michael! He was pretty much with me through it all! And he's growing up to be such a little stud muffin and I can't WAIT to have him closer so we can play some MORE!!!

Roommates: Roommates can be a dangerous business but I have lucked out for sure and scored amazing roommates!! Living with them, I am able to see them in their everyday lives and watch their direct examples. They are such amazing people and teach me so much! I love them all to death! Emily, Lindsey, Lindsay, Kellie, Jayna, Brittany, Meghan, and Chelsea- I LOVE YOUR GUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AnnaLeah: Even though she's younger than me, she has taught me so much! She is definitely one who has developed her talents and she's an inspiration to me!!!!! I haven't known her for too long, but I just connect with her and love her innocence and pure faith! She has taught me to enjoy the little things in life like looking at the clouds and listening to a beautiful piece of music!

Lauren: Lauren came along a little later, but that doesn't make her any less of a friend!!! She is probably one of my best friends that I don't share my religion with, but that hasn't stopped us from sharing everything else! She is one of the greatest examples to me, even though our standards are slightly different. In high school, she NEVER asked directly or indirectly to compromise mine, she probably even made it easier! I always knew I could go to her and ask anything of her and she would do it in a heart beat!!! She also just has an inherent love of life, people and learning and it's contagious! She made me recognize the good in so many people and made me recognize a lot of the joy in education through high school, which is quite the feat!
Melanie: Melanie has been one of my best friends since first grade! All my siblings find that so bizzare that we've lived in a place long enough for that to have happened, since they moved around a lot when they were little. Any who...we've been through a lot together in that time! I think I took for granted how lucky I was to have a friend, and a best friend, to go through all of my schooling with...keeping my standards was never hard because Melanie was right there along with me keeping those standards. I'm grateful for her unyielding standards and her help in keeping mine. She truly helped me, and provided ample entertainment along the way! Even though I don't see her as much being out at school, when I do get to see her it's like a little hug from home and I love feeling like I don't have to try and impress her because we've know each other for so long we know each other's history and who the other person is, so there's no faking; just genuine friendship!

So there are a bajillion other people who have been great friends, guiding lights, and mentors

(Brynne Andersen, Lauren Millner, Lindsay Weigel, Katrina Savens, Kat Orgill, Sister Larson, Sister Thomas, Sister Fitzner, Sister Eisenhauer, Visiting teachers, home teachers, all my young women presidents, old teachers-Mr. GOldwasser, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Moser, Ms. Siesner, Mrs. Armbruster, I could go on really....)

but I am eternally grateful for all of you and thank you so much for being you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!