I have the great privilege of being a friend

I have the great privilege of being a friend.

As I prepare for graduation and reflect on my experience at BYU, I am staggered by the positive influence of hundreds of great people I have met here.

I guess I took some classes, got some grades, and "learned stuff" in college, but my academic experience pales in comparison to the experiences I have had with scores of decent, generous people.

I'm lucky to have many friends, but I am decidedly blessed to have a handful of very very close friends. Jerusalem. Choice apartments with excellent roommates. Washington Seminar. Writing Fellows. OACL. Group projects. Elms Ward. Colony Ward. Banbridge Ward.

I know this post is effusive and overly gushy, but as I look forward to a post-BYU life, I find myself emotionally overwhelmed! I have tremendous examples in my life. And they have changed me.

I'm excited to meet and become friends with many more people in the future, but I pause to remember all of the happy seasons I have seen, so far. And I have enjoyed them so immensely, that I'm hesitant to let them go.

But, then I look around and I realize I already have. Many of my closest friends are on missions right now. Many have moved away. Sometimes I hurt because I miss their uplifting presence in my life. But as I hesitantly leave one period of life, I find myself making deep friendships in the next as well. Steph in high school. Charlie and Allie my freshman year. Rachel, Jenessa, Erin, Holly and Sarah Jane in Jerusalem. Nicole, Jackie, Lindsey, Lana, Rachel, Andrea, Kelly, Abby and Emily in the Elms. Alyse in Writing Fellows. Abby, Rachel, and Kelli in Washington. Audrey, Dani, Rachelle in Banbridge. And I know the pattern will continue.

But I very much enjoy the memories! And they always make me smile. And usually laugh.

I don't even know where to begin. Road trip with Jenessa, Erin, and Holly. Sarah Jane cracking me up, pretty much with every word. Lana pantsing Lindsey. Getting lost in the Old City with Ness and Erin. Jenessa changing into a black shirt so I could cry on her shoulder. Emily spilling the contents of the blender all over the floor. Laughing so hard I cry. Andrea teaching me about testimony and kindness. Nicole teaching me about listening. Jenessa teaching me about caring. Erin, about fearlessness. Charlie reminding me not to take life too seriously. Allie teaching me about fashion. Liz, about reading. Lana, about mangoes. Walking into Abby's room like it was mine. Road trip with Rachel. Getting lost, yelling at the GPS, laughing, running, climbing up a waterfall, trying on wigs with Abby and Rachel. Pretending to be an english major with Alyse. Racquetball with Rachel. Running and running and running with Dani. Conversations about cupcakes turning into existential discussions. Sharing imperfections/insecurities. Nails with Audrey. RDJ with Audrey. Running from the parking lot to 8 a.m. logistics with Rachelle. Rachelle, Audrey, and Dani about laughing at life/laughing through life and that it's okay to be obsessed with HSM3. Talking for hours at the kitchen table. Kelli always encouraging me. Cupcakes and basketball with Kelli. Andrea teaching me about service and working hard. Encouraging notes left on my bed when I needed an encouraging word. Laughing and crying with every single person mentioned above.

Unfailing love.

I have the great privilege of being a friend.

A Norwegian at the Greek Festival

A few weeks ago my friends and I roadtripped it down to Richmond, VA to see a friend run a marathon. Of course, while she was out there running 26.2 miles, we were stuffing our faces at the Greek festival. [mmmm...]

Since we left really early in the morning, I did my makeup in the car and threw on a hat for the day. Standing in line to receive my decadent spankopita and pork souvlaki, the woman serving mentioned that she liked my hat. It looked very European.

She thought for a moment more and said, "Norway, you look like you're from Norway."

I'm not sure all my relatives can boast such a striking Norwegian resemblance as to elicit comments from total strangers (this has happened more than once), but I certainly do my part.

My ancestors would be proud.

Digression

Today, instead of catching up on my blog/journal, I wrote two lengthy, chatty, deliciously detailed letters to my dear friends on missions.

Even though my conversations with my good friends were, by definition, one-sided, it was still good to spill my thoughts and let them know what is going on in my life. In my mind I could hear their reactions/voices/laughs.

Tomorrow I will come back to the real world, go to work like normal, and catch up on my journal. But today, I am content to listen to the rain patter against my window and proverbially put my head on my friends' shoulders.

Even thousands of miles away (soon to be many more thousands as they leave the MTC), it's good to know that good friends will always be around to lift you up or help you feel loved when all you feel is alone.

Oregon: the land where dreams come true

On June 18, 2009 we embarked on a journey at 6 a.m....(which turned out to be 7 a.m. after all three of us failed to get up on time)

And we drove...

and danced... 

and drove...

still driving...

drove some more... (l-r Jenessa, Natalie [Holly's cousin], me, Holly)

stopped for a little bit of Bliss...

(it was windy)

still driving (at this point we were getting a little kooky). Notice my earrings look like a dreamcatcher that caught a bird.

We got some of the mountain air...

And finally arrived in Oregon! This is a volcano near Portland, Mt. Hood.

June 19, 2009: My 21st birthday

I became 21, and now I can gamble, drink, and be considered an established adult by most institutions...but I still can't rent a car. 

Jenessa started the day by reading me a Dr. Suess birthday story and then Holly's mom cooked us a birthday feast. Here is my whole wheat crepe and fresh fruit.

And we ended up in the car again! We drove to Silver Falls state park to go hiking

The beautiful Oregon countryside

"It's all grand and it's all green!" Jenessa, Natalie, and Holly at Silver Falls State Park. 

Model shot. Look at those glowing legs! 

Contemplating my 21 years

Jenessa being one with the waterfall. 

A nice man took our picture and perfectly aligned the waterfall so that it was pouring into my head. My brain is full of Oregonian goodness now. 

Moss does not grow in Utah, but it does in Oregon (that's partly why dreams come true there)

Jenessa channeling one of the many explorers of Oregon. 

Artsy. (Tilt your head to the left.)

We got to walk behind a couple of waterfalls and get misted. 

A little puff of rabbit we found on the trail. 

This shot reminds me of Yosemite.

Jenessa with Holly's niece and nephew. 

Here we are showing our excitement about being in a car again!

When we went to go pick up Erin, Jenessa's blackberry tragically ended up in the rain gutter. While it didn't get wet, the screen cracked and it died anyway. A moment of silence please. After the rain gutter incident we went to go see Star Trek for my birthday. I had already seen it but was very excited to go again. Everyone (including Holly's older sister) loved it! 

June 20, 2009. Driving to the Oregon coast. 

This could be an album cover.  

We had to pick up some caramel popcorn. 

I sent a message home to make up for being away for Father's day. 

For you music nerds out there: if you notice, there is a fermata in the sand. Jenessa is standing next to it and Holly, the music major she is, is appropriately holding her as long as she wants. 

We expanded the music motif into a full staff. Holly even sung this tune for us! (She made us add a key signature to avoid a tritone. Bach would be proud.) 

Reflecting on the beach near haystack rock. 

Erin: the reason for our long journey. 

Attempted-self-portrait-which-didn't-turn-out-but-which-I-still-like-very-much. 

The all-seeing, 21-year-old eye. 

This is the cover of Jenessa's first album.

Blue steel. 

I look like a fish, but Jenessa looks very smoldering in this picture. (Nice jacket, Sister Simmons)

A sign that had many interesting messages. 

Many shades of blue on the Oregon coast. 

A staple of Oregonian culture: the Tillamook cheese factory. 

Mild? Sharp? Blue? Pepperjack? Horseradish? Squeeky? It's all here. 

Our spoils from the cheese factory. 

Somewhere that I want to go when I go back to Oregon. 

June 21, 2009 Erin and Holly bonding on the couch after church. 

Jenessa and Erin trying to take a Sunday nap. You can guess how well that worked out for them. 

Jenessa, me, Holly, Natalie, and Erin at Erin's house after dinner with Erin's family on Sunday. 

June 22, 2009 We began the day by visiting the world-famous Portland rose gardens. 

We frolicked in the blossoms...

and smelled a lot of good things.

We even found a picturesque lamppost. 

View of downtown Portland.

We went to Powell's, the world's largest used/new bookstore. Jenessa bought a book about Greece (she's going on a mission to Athens, Greece).  

Erin bought a book about Buddhism (she's going on a mission to Bangkok, Thailand), and I bought a book about destressing your life (my eternal mission will be not sweating the small stuff. Believe it or not, the book I bought in Powell's has actually helped.)
We ate a fantastic lunch at a brunch place called Elephant Ears. I had a gourmet grilled cheese panini with harvarti cheese, grilled tomato, and fresh pesto. I also had a little bit of a Mediterranean orzo salad and five bean salad. 

Then we went to Papa Hadyn's for dessert. (Doesn't everyone have dessert with lunch?) We got a piece of chocolate and a piece of banana creme.

Jenessa communing with the geese. 

The geese communing with Jenessa. 

Jenessa meditating like we learned to in "Eat, Pray, Love"

Om namah shivayah

Self portrait

Jenessa is as strong as Portlandia, the goddess of Portland.

In Pioneer square with the bronze man hailing a taxi.

Then on to Ben and Jerry's. (Ice cream was a motif of this trip and part of the reason why dreams come true in Oregon.)

With the drumming street performer.

The airport bathroom. We love Oregon. The toilets had water conservation options too. 

Then, after the perfect vacation, we flew back home.