Ohhh, Let Me Tell Ya Bout My Best FriendS!

Here's the story of some of my good friends, in absolutely NO order. My life would SUCK without each and every single one of them. In our lives we have people that make a difference. Well, these are the people that make all the difference in mine:

This is Zach. I met him when I was 12 years old, at literally one of the greatest places in the world: Camp Crestview. I had been working as the children's pastor assistant and she asked me to come and help her with being on staff at church camp. I remember Zach walking through the doors of the manor. And I also remember, we hit it off right off the bat. He has been a dear friend of mine ever since. We spent many vacations together on trips with our other youth group friends, etc. Needless to say, our friendship grew. There are so many things I could tell you about us and our adventures, but I would write a never-ending novel. Finally after about 7 years of friendship, we both realized something...and here we are almost a year and a half into an absolutely flawless relationship (I didn't even know such a thing was possible). But our love story is another blog. He is the BEST friend (and mechanic, haha) I have ever had in my entire life.

Oh..and this is our Russian "love turtle", lol, Tork:

Also, Christmas of '09, Zach gave me the perfect present!:

Then, there's Kirstin. I met her in 8th grade. We immediately hit it off. We spent hours in our math class writing ridiculous songs with a few of our friends for our "band", Pink Ice. Dear goodness. She was JUST like me! She was always so much fun to be around. She moved to Arizona when it was time for high school. It completely broke both of our hearts, and many things led up to her leaving. MANY, many things. Some good, some bad. Mainly just bad. We were there for each other through break-ups and life's little surprises. It's amazing to find someone in your life who will be gone for months at a time (sometimes a year), and they can come back the same person they were when they left. Things are never awkward between us, and she has always been and will continue to be one of the greatest friends I've ever had. There is so much history in our friendship, there would, again, be another novel. Kirstin also had a baby girl named Shalynn. Shalynn is also my goddaughter and one of the sweetest little girls you'll ever meet. And she has such a personality. I do miss you very much K*Boy. I miss swimming at the lake with you and Sammy, eating at Asia Gardens, our "ritual" at the Mall, and screaming at the top of our lungs to any song that came across the radio. Come home soon, kay? I love you.

And then you've got Rachel. Rachel is also Zach's older sister. Rachel and I became friends shortly after Zach and I did. We are all actually part of a large group of friends that unfortunately, is now scattered across Oregon due to college, jobs, and marriage. Rachel and I have stayed close for a very long time. She always makes me laugh, and from what she's said, I make her bust up, too. What are friends for, right? She's my shopping buddy, my stressed-out-after-work buddy, my Michael's coupon clipping buddy, my Hills buddy, my "soft-peaks" buddy (inside joke)...pretty much my buddy throughout everything. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Rachel in my life. She keeps me calm, and proper..yet WILD AND CRAZY! And I am slowly getting her EXCITED about riding the new quad that her and her husband Jared (I'll get to him) recently bought. We have so many memories together..and they go WAY back! We still laugh about the time that we all went camping (you know, the one where I wrecked) and Tab fell asleep and woke up in a puddle with a soaked pillow in the tent! That camping trip was littered with so many funny and oopsie! memories. Anywho...I just LOVE YOU!
Jared. (Yes, this is Rachel's hunny- the dude in the picture right above this sentence). Apparently, he is my brother...or so people tend to think. I guess we kinda (?) look AND ACT alike, hahaha. I met Jared when I met Rachel, only because they have been together since Dinosaurs walked the earth. He just cracks me up. We laugh about the same stupid stuff, and finish each other's stupid sentences and swap some elbow when something gnarly goes down. Only a true friend would understand some of the ridiculous things that come of out my mouth, and Jared does! We have an odd understanding of each other. He's a stud. Pretty much just a stud..and a pretty chill guy. Him and Rachel (they come as a pair, you see) have made such a huge difference in my life. Without these guys, the experiences and adventures in my life would be so small and uneventful. We have spent lots of time together swimming, camping, having movie nights, routine Sonic trips, Frisbee Golf, finding crazy rap songs to totally distort, bonfires, riding (now that they got that sa-weet quad!), scrappin up in the mountains, and just enjoying the fellowship between good friends. Jared's the goof and Rachel simmers him down. Life just wouldn't be the same without you guys just a mile away!

This is the "Helix"

(You know what they say: "Like brother, like sister"! )

Finally, there's Jordan. I also met Jordan through that same large group of friends from church camp (and just church in general). He brings out the hick in me. Well, actually, he brings out a lot of things in me. If there's anything you need to know mechanical wise: Jordan's your man. He has always been there for me and is always there to cheer me up when things just aren't going right. He always finds the right time to say the things he does and acknowledges even my smallest of achievements. It's good to have people like that in your life and Jordan fills in a good part of that gap. We have also shared many hysterical and unforgettable memories. He, too, was also at that camping trip years ago, which is the trip that really kicked off our friendship (now you can see why this trip was so important). I'll never forget the look on his face when I wrecked the Wheeler's quad and bust my face on the handlebars, putting my teeth through my tongue. "Dude! Are you okay! You don't look so good!" (as the blood is spurting out my tongue). It's always exciting to hear when he's down visiting for the weekend, because, like most of our group, he is off at college and working...so to get to visit (or go scrappin up in the backwoods) with him with all of our friends is a blast and moments to be cherished. Oh..and I'll never ever never forget the Obama muffin, the tarp, and the riding helmet pillow :) You are such a blessing in my life!

This was a trip, Zach, Jordan and I randomly took at 10pm to Diamond Lake. We took J's truck, grabbed the camera and loaded up the 50 for a night of fun! After hours of spinning cookies and riding the bike in a snow blizzard, we got home around 4 in the morning. I will NEVER forget this night!

These are the friends who make a difference in my life, both big and small. Not a lot of people go through their lives with as many close, amazing, uplifting, and inspirational friends as I have in my life. Not a day goes by that not a single one of them cross my mind. When I am sad, I just think of all the great memories we all share together and it's amazing how quickly doing something like that can just turn your frown upside down. Friends are important, and God plucked just the right ones off the branch to place in my lap. I give them a lot of the credit for the joy in my life. I hope and pray we always close and even when we're all old and wrinkly, we always hold dear those silly memories from years ago, and that we can continue to build new. Each and every one of you are an inspiration to me in one way or another. I think about them throughout my day, every day, and thank God for the little blessings he's placed in my life. These people aren't just my friends, they're my BEST friends.
(^ R.I.P Pumpkin Patch! ^) - Don't ask ;]

This is part of the "group". Tab, Zach, Jared, Rach and Abby @ the Jeremy Camp concert.

Another random trip to the coast for a day with the friends.

Oh, you know...just vandalizing Tab's vehicle with wedding paraphernalia.

Josh, Zach, Rach, Tab, Jordan and Trista (L-R)

(And yes...this was THE camping trip :)