Friendship

I've never considered myself a friendly person. Since I was a little girl, I've been an introvert and always was uncomfortable striking up conversations. I was always more comfortable with books. I think a lot of the times I came across as aloof and snobbish, where really I was just shy and insecure. As I've grown up and realized who I am in Christ, I've become a little more confident. (And being married to Wallace Bates, the extrovert of extroverts, I've been placed in more social situations than I care for, so I've gotten some better at being friendly). With that being said, I'd like to pay tribute to some of my nearest and dearest.

To Jennifer, Brandon, and Glenn- the saying goes that cousins are your first friends, and that is so true. From before I can remember, you were there, getting into meanness with me. Climbing trees and going fishing and skiing at the lake and playing detective. Singing and jumping and making movies. And as we grew up, riding around town and working on the yearbook together and hanging out and taking Anatomy together (admit it, Brandon, you just wanted to cheat). I'm so glad that you've all been there for me.

To Olivia, my best friend since kindergarten. We hit it off on the first day we met. We hung on the handicap rail and kept Glenn B. fed in the pickup line. We collected Garbage Pail Kid cards and spent more nights together, plotting and making prank calls and watching music videos and eating enough Sweettarts to rot our lips off. Glue creations and puffy paint and cheering and not cheering together. Sharing purses and hiding in your closet to scare Jeff, and me fighting with Jeff like he was the little brother that I never had. You were my first and nearest confidant. Yes, we grew apart in high school, but I still love you and miss you. I think of you, Anthony, and Sophie often and pray for you and thank God that you are so very happy. And I know that when we finally do make time to go out and eat like we are always saying we will, we'll sit down and catch up and it will be just like no time at all has passed, because that's how true friendships are.

To Amanda, my almost cousin but not quite, yearbook and cruising town and pep club... you have been in my life almost as long as I can remember. You made my Junior and Senior years of high school so much fun and I miss you. I hate that we never talk... I hope that life is treating you beautifully.

To Candace, Jenine, Jamie Ann, and Deanna... my cheerleading buddies. Oh, what laughter we had at cheerleading practice. Sleepovers... and Grease. You were my sisters. We had so many good experiences. Cheering for the best team...and cheering for each other. Seeing your babies on facebook and knowing that for all of us, life has been pretty good makes me smile. I treasure each and every minute I had with you... the good and the bad.

To my nursing school buddies, who I never see. We went through two rough years together but it made us strong. Becky Haddix, I never will forget driving to Hazard with you and that blue jeep that could go anywhere... study meetings where we always talked and ate more than we studied. You were taken from this world far too early, but you lived life to the fullest while you were here.

And now, to Jenna, and all my work buddies. We share a different kind of friendship, but it is no less as deep. I respect each of you and am so glad that I can call you my friends. As I struggle to eat my frog and get lecture notes typed up, juggling work and family and everything else, I am so happy that I have you guys to complain to. I so admire each and everyone of you. Know that you make my life so much more meaningful.

If you've managed to make it this far, you're my friend, too. We may never talk, but I so appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to read my blog. I pray that you are blessed by my words. Take time out of your day to tell your friends that you love and appreciate them, too. We were made to be relational... with God, and with others.