Links

After supper tonight, we decided to make a visit to the computer lab. So, here we are. Austin is doing mostly homework with a little fun browsing mixed in. I, on the other hand, am here for purely fun-browsing reasons. I enjoy the blogs. It is great to be able to keep up with friends this way. Many of our friends have just had or are about to have a baby. Even though I do not post frequently, I still check others when our connection is working. I think I will take this time to tell you about my friends under "links".....

Justin and Meredith- Meredith is one of my best friends (bff) and Justin became my bff-in-law about 5 years ago. Meredith and I lived on the same floor of one of the yuckiest dorms on La Tech's campus. In the beginning of our freshman year we both got involved at the bsu and signed up to join a family group. As fate would have it we were assigned to the same group and sat beside each other at the announcement party. She turned to me and said in that sweet voice, "Do you live in Graham?" That was all that it took for us to become inseparable for the next few years. She happens to be one of the two of my friends to be brave enough to go to a Howard family reunion with me. Heck, she is such a glutton for punishment that she even lived with me and my family in Ruston for part of a summer. My mother loves her so!
Justin and I became friends when I was a sophomore at Tech. He has a twin brother and they were always referred to as a unit...Jon & Justin, Justin & Jon, or the Bufkins. Meredith befriended them first and then introduced me into the clique. At this point, there were not any romantic ties between Justin and Mer (that came at least a year later). I spent many a late night at the bsu hanging out with the bufkins and other folks. Some of the best nights were filled with impromptu guitar sessions, dvd watching, and terminal sitting. I can still hear Jon and Justin arguing over whose turn it is to vacuum the bsu (they were the caretakers). I am glad that I only live 20 minutes from Justin and Mer!

Michael and Meg- Meg is from Ruston and a year older than my sis, so I guess I at least knew who she was when I was in jr. high. Although, it wasn't until the fall of 1999 that we became friends with one another. We were placed on the same team when we went to Turkey. We would become closer over the next several years...it always seemed that we were going through similar things in our lives at the same time. Also, when I worked at Camp Cho-Yeh, she was the person in charge over my campsite...oh, sweetgum! In the last couple of years, she and I have become even closer since we used to live less than a mile from each other. Michael and I first met at the beginning of my freshman year at Tech, although he was too cool to talk to me or the other five girls that invaded that dorm room in Cottingham. We did not become friends until the following summer when we worked at Camp Cho-Yeh. Also, he and I used to baby-sit about 12 kids between the ages of 1-11 together. And I think we only made $10 for two hours. Talk about slave labor! The song "it's so good to be on base" was born from those baby-sitting days. Oh, and mikey was a journeyman, so there is that bond there.

Kim & Daniel- I think I have known Kim the longest out of everyone in my links. She is a Ruston-ite as well. My first memories of her take place at Ruston junior high. When I was in 7th grade, we had the same p.e. hour, but she was in the 8th grade girls class. The water fountain in the gym was on the 7th grade girls side, so when Kimmie and her friends would come to the fountain they would say hi and then Kim would tell her friends that she thought I looked like Teddy Ruxpin, yes, Teddy Ruxpin, the freaky talking bear of the 80's. She meant this as a compliment and a way of saying that she liked me, I on the other hand took it as an insult and harbored bitterness for the next 7 years. I was an insecure 13 year old girl who felt awkward in every way, so it hurt my feelings when this cool and popular 8th grader called me Teddy Ruxpin and laughed about it. It wasn't until we were on the plane to Turkey, sitting next to each other because of our last names, that I finally revealed to her that the nickname Teddy Ruxpin was not one that I was honored to have. Fortunately, I have worked on my issues and T.R. no longer offends me when it is spoken by Kim. In fact, I embrace it. Kim and I went through the journeyman process at the same time and got to go through orientation together. I was happy for that! When we returned back to the states, we lived together when I moved to Fort Worth for school. She and Daniel started dating when she and I lived together. It was so neat to get to see their story unfold before my eyes! Their story of how they first started dating is the cutest and one of my favorites! The "check yes or no" letter hung on our bulletin board until the day we moved.

Jason & Melissa- They are the newlyweds of the group...one month yesterday! Jason and I were freshman together at Tech. I remember him as being a good ol' country boy from crowville. It would only be years later that I find out he is the golden boy of crowville and crockett point.....and maybe even of all Franklin parish. I remember playing a few hands of rook with Jason back in the day. Although it was usually me and Kristin playing against he and Trey and we obviously would crush them . But I digress. Jason is a GREAT friend to have! Just this past weekend he and Melissa rescued me at Target when my battery in my car died. Jason got the car running and followed me home. He even offered to help in any way he could in fixing it. As I was sitting and thinking of my memories of Jason, I remembered a time in college when I locked my keys in my car and he drove me to my house to get an extra set. An all-around great guy, need I say more. I have only known Melissa for about a year and a half, but I love her. I am so thankful that the Lord put Jason and Melissa together. She is a fun gal-pal to have. It is always entertaining to watch her put Jason in his place when he gets out of line. She is also good friends with someone that I worked with in Zambia (Chris, for anyone interested), so it is nice to have that special connection with her.

Well, I only got a little over 1/5 of the way through the list. But, my husband is ready to go because he has a hoss of a book to read about the Buddha and his teachings. So, I must submit to him in obedience and leave the lab.
Until next time.....