Friendship. While there are several childhood friends are still very dear to me, I often struggled with the inconsistency between my idea of what friendship should be and the reality of my relationships. That is until I met these girls. With these girls the line between friend and sister is heavily blurred. I would have been satisfied with one best friend, but God was gracious enough to give me four.
I've briefly mentioned these girls in previous posts, but last week I was not only reminded of how much I love each of these girls but of how much I love being with these girls. The difference is subtle yet distinct. You see, I love each of these girls individually and here's why.
Emily
Emily is effortlessly beautiful though she'd never admit it. She began college as a biology major with plans to go to medical school. During her first semester of college she played volleyball and excelled in both biology and chemistry while also (somewhat ;-) secretly wooing her new love, and now husband, Andy. She then had the confidence to switch her major to elementary education. Her passion and God-given talent for teaching creatively and effectively amazes me, her work ethic inspires me, and her dedication to the Lord blesses me.
Lindsey
I love seeing growth in others, and Lindsey's journey through college is one of my favorites. When we met as freshman, she was a super-studious, somewhat timid, tender-hearted girl who could not relax until everything on her to-do list was completed. She is now a studious, tender-hearted woman who now is only mildly stressed out if her to-do list is incomplete. :-) But seriously, Lindsey is a deep thinker who always stays grounded in biblical truth. I know very few people who can match her discipline and brilliance. Plus, there is no one who can make me laugh quite like Lindsey.
Kiley
Kiley and I both share a love of writing. (You can check out her blog here :-) Kiley is the kind of planner that is able to get all of her homework done for Monday before she goes out of town on the weekend. I once saw her write 8 pages, single-spaced, for a 2-hour exam, and now she writes prolifically for a newspaper. Amazing! She loves staying up late, watching movies, baking, being with her boy, dancing, and attempting to trust and take one day at a time. I love her because she acts when I'm more apt to talk or think.
Krystal
Typically anyone describing Krystal must talk about her curls and her laugh. But I would describe Krystal as strong. Not only is she physically buff, but she faces trials and tribulation with strength stemming from unwavering faith in our Lord and Savior. We've walked through quite a few dark places together, and she humbles me by the way she perseveres. I love her emotion, her worshipful attitude, and her eternal optimism for the good in others.
Together we were affectionately known as the Fab Five. We honestly don't have all that much in common. 3 of us are planners. 2 of us like to stay up late. 2 of us can dance. 3 of us are married. None of us live in the same town. Yet what we do have in common makes us, well, us. We all came to Northwestern at the same time, though from different towns. We all had Katie Van Etten as an RA. We all have cried tears of joy, pain, and laughter with and because of each other. We all challenge each other spiritually and fiercely love the Lord. And that's the one that makes the difference.
I love talking to each of these women individually, but last Tuesday we all got on Skype for a video chat. It was the first time we had all been in the same place for almost 9 months. Despite the fact that this place was cyberspace, we all reveled in the familiar feeling of being together. Together we laughed (a lot!), shared our struggles and prayer requests, toured each apartment, and saw each others' faces.
In the last 9 months I've become a college graduate, a wife, an aunt, and a new employee twice. But last Tuesday I remembered the joy and comfort that comes from being with my Fab Five. Emily, Lindsey, Kiley, Krystal--I am blessed to call you friends.
Sophomore Year Fun
The Fab Five Plus Awesome Anna :-)
Graduation
