The Days are Winding Down

It seems like everything is ending.

But at the same time, it seems like everything is beginning.

Most of my really good friends move out this next week, and I won't be able to see them at all until probably Thanksgiving or Christmas. You're probably thinking it's not a big deal, but for me, losing the greatest friends I've ever had for the past 7 years is really hard for me. I have made the greatest friendships and have had the absolute best times of my life with my friends by my side. They have been there while I've cried, I've been there for them through their hard times, they know how to make me smile, and even when they drive me nuts, some part of me loves them anyways. Those are what truly great friends are made of. Here is a little bit about each of my friends:

Robyn Kirkland

I met this fantastic girl in gifted and talented after I moved in to my new house in 5th grade. I started attending Heber Valley Elementary, and the first thing I remember about her was her long brown hair and how quiet she was. But no matter what, she was ALWAYS nice to everyone. And she was very musical too, which I loved. We got to be better friends after we started orchestra together, although I don't think we were ever stand partners that year. Through the next few years, we stayed in orchestra together, and probably saw each other more as rivals or competition rather than friends, seeing as how we are just BOTH SO AMAZING at simply EVERYTHING! :) But I think we probably really became friends in about 7th grade. We were now both 1st violins, and realized that we could help each other get better--it wasn't a competition. We played everything together, and had such a good time. Each year that we knew each other got better as it went by, and it still gets stronger every day. We have played in orchestra since 5th grade together, and I have loved spending almost every day with her doing our favorite thing--playing music and being around each other! We have played in the school theater pits for Hello, Dolly!, Wizard of Oz, White Christmas, and this last one of Beauty and the Beast. I could go on and on and on about what Robyn and I have done together, and how many things we have been in, but what I want to do is let her know how much I love and appreciate our friendship, and especially her! She has grown into such a strong and beautiful young woman! I love you so much Robyn! Laughing together in French class, making funny pictures on our orchestra music, and laughing at everything and anything without saying a word to each other is what makes the good times count for everything. I'm going to really miss you when you leave for school--not seeing you every day will be hard for me!

Camille Ward

I really don't remember when we first met, but Camille claims that we met during a spelling bee. I wished her luck before she went up to spell each time, and she told her mom about how nice this "girl" was at school. Eventually, we were friends. :) I don't know when we were officially "come-over-to-my-house-and-make-cookies-and-play-scrabble" type of friends, but it was probably sometime in about 9th or 10th grade. We were probably in a science class of some sort, where we were for the next 3 years. In Physics, we always managed to have our project take a turn for the worse, and we were the kids that actually followed the instructions. Our online projects always caught in flame, our chemistry experiments turned the wrong color and started smoking and smelling weird, and things just never worked out scientifically between us. :) Thankfully she also played music, and we were able to talk to each other across the piano in the pit orchestras, or through french notes in Mr. Reynold's French class. Camille was the one that tried to get me in trouble in hilarious ways throughout high school. Writing "Zut!" on a paper and slapping it on the window in front of my face, but to our teachers' back, all I could do was laugh and fail my oral test. Thanks. :) But it was funny. Good thing Mr. Reynold's knows I laugh a lot...... From crazy driving adventures with car horns, through multiple girls camps, to calling each other and just needing a donut run, Camille has always been there for me for every single thing, and I really appreciate it. I'm not one to go off of emotions here, but Camille has usually been behind every supportive thing there is. So thank you Camille. :)

McCall Kelson

Where to even begin? McCall and I first met in 6th grade after she moved to Midway. We were in the same homeroom class with Mr. Jensen, and were the most nerdy, unattractive girls that hadn't quite found themselves yet. And that's putting it in a nice way. :) Anyways, there were several times that year where we grew to be really good friends--even best friends if you'd put it that way. We played with each other all the time, we read together, watched movies together, and even made bookmarks and knick-knacks together. We cried together, laughed to no end together, and even learned a foreign language for two years together. We had sleepovers together where we were so scared we held hands and prayed that we would be okay. We cried on each others shoulders when we had a bad day. McCall was one of the first people to know when I had my first kiss. We crumpled each others notes in every class, McCall drew hairy men and funny people for me to laugh at every day, and we laughed in almost every math class we ever had together by drawing a fat hairy man in a tutu with a huge head and a tiny face. :) I wish I had that with me. We can quote Nacho Libre, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, the Three Amigos, and Napoleon Dynamite like there was no tomorrow. Singing songs in the bathrooms together, giving each other "drugs" in the hallway when we had a headache, and so much more. I can't even begin to write down all of our adventures. We had so many, and each were so great! I love you so much McCall, and I'll miss you like crazy when you're gone at BYU! We won't be able to continue our great adventures in person!

Sarah Haderlie

Sarah Haderlie and I met in the orchestra pit for Hello, Dolly during my 8th grade year. We didn't really get to know each other a whole lot during that year, but we did the next. We were in orchestra together and were able to get to hang out with each other at least every other day. Through the last years of her being in high school, we got to be really really good friends. We hung out almost every day, she was the first person to know everything, she taught me what I needed to know for teaching music students, and we were always talking with each other, laughing about everything, and helped each other through so many things. Even though we don't see each other basically at all now, we still talk once in a while and get together occasionally. Sarah has made me who I am today, and I am so forever grateful for her and her eternally changing friendship she has given me! I love you Sarah!

Robyn and Camille move to BYU on Wednesday.
McCall moves to BYU on Monday.
Sarah is living in Orem.
All my other friends are leaving next week for school.

And I'm stuck here in Heber.

Thankfully I have a few guy friends who are left before they go on their mission. :)

I want to thank my friends for all their support and love they have given me throughout the many years. Some have been friends longer than others, but they all mean the same to me. I love each and every one of them so very much!

Because I knew you, I have been changed for good!  -Wicked

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.