Friendship

My weekend was amazing! I traveled out to Idaho for Ann's wedding, but along the way I was able to catch up with good friends that I've made over the last 20 years! I can't believe I'm using that number now!

These are the weekends where I go home with a deep sense of gratitude for the people that I claim as friends. Some I hadn't talked to in over 10 years, but we were able to pick right back up from where we left off. Each has experienced their own set of hardships, joys, sorrows and lessons as life moves forward. It's comforting, in a way, to know that we are all in this together and each get our own specially tailored growing experiences. Sometimes I get the feeling that we all think the lives of others are perfect, but our own has something more to be desired. Not so. It seems like we all get dibs on difficult experiences.

I am grateful that the Internet has brought many of us back together in different ways and hopefully these renewed friendships will continue to grow as we support each other virtually.

Without further adieu, meet my Utah/Idaho friends:

• Pam, me, and Ann - I got to drive with Pam (OK, she lives in L.A. not Utah) both to and from Idaho. We had some great conversations about life, technology, men, marriage, life, technology... We've had these conversations in DC before as friends and on a few fun vacations in different parts of the world. Ann, our friend that got married, was also part of the DC experience at one time as a roommate in Arlington and in graduate school at GMU. She had a beautiful wedding and I'm so happy that I was able to witness the event of the lovebirds.


• Shirley - one of my first roommates from Pentagon City lives out in Utah now. We spent a few hours talking and going out to eat some Mediterranean food. It reminded both of us of the eclectic DC food. Shirley was the original Pride and Prejudice fan that is delighted that I have given the movie a chance (finally) and love it.
  (can't find picture, but will insert)


• Laurel - we met at Ricks College a long time ago! Laurel and I were avid members of the "Nerd Herd" and would make runs to Brolums grocery store for Twizzlers licorice. In the last 15-16 years I've periodically opened up my mail to find a bag of licorice reminding me of those good times. Laurel is always the first person to laugh at my jokes and was a great friend through those difficult times as a resident assistant.
  

• Raschel and Melynda (Melynder) - These sisters were my roommates toward the end of the BYU experience. We had some good times worrying about boys, taking walks, having long talks, and just enjoying each others company. Melynda worked through the night as a nurse and she would get home around when I woke up and so we had great conversations around 6 in the morning. Both Raschel and Melynda were always positive and fun to be around and I was reminded of that in the few minutes we had together.

• Karen - wow, we go further back than anyone else I met up with, except for my brother. Karen and I met freshman year, were resident assistants together the next year, came to BYU, left on our missions at the same time, came back to BYU, became roommates toward the end of college and in general shared a lot of happy and hard times. We both worried way too much about who we would marry and would talk for endless hours about lots of different topics. Despite her best efforts, I am still a walker and she can outrun most anyone I know.


• Scot (Scotty) - OK, my brother is family, but I do consider him a friend. It was great to see him and go out with some of his roommates for some big burgers. Yes, my friends, there are still some good young guys in the world. They were great to talk with even though I could be there mother...or close to it anyway. I went on campus to see where Scot worked and the cool architectural software he uses (Ribit? or Revet?) . He is implementing his architecture/construction management skills into the "Becca House." I think I will do a separate entry about that, but it's been fun to work with him on the design of my future house over the past couple of years.


• Vincent and Freda - All of my sisters and I knew Vincent at Campus Plaza at BYU. He would always come on group activities with us and ask for advice about career, marriage, career, marriage, career, marriage, etc. Freda came along a little later, but we all knew they should be together. Now they have a beautiful family and we of course had a chance to sit and chat about the same things again - career, marriage, career, marriage. (-: Wonderful friends!

• Mike, Ann and Patti - so, I finally have a picture of Patti to put up here. Patti lived in DC for a while and I'm realizing that I didn't get to know her that well now that we've had a few conversations on facebook, blogs and at the wedding reception. Here she is with Mike and Ann. Mike became a new friend too since I'd never met him. Great person and a wonderful match for Ann. I'm not sure why this picture is so little.I'm feeling like a pretty lucky person right now. I wish I could have seen everyone else, but maybe the next trip.

Ann's wedding

I had the opportunity to fly out to Utah/Idaho this weekend to see a good friend, Ann Collier, get married.

It was especially meaningful because they are both in their 30s and have waited a long time for this occasion. Well, at least waited a long time separately since they met at the end of last year.

Not anything against young brides, but there was a certain deepness to the experience knowing that this was more than a pretty dress, a ring, and a fairy tale experience. Some of the other brides at the temple on the same day looked like they were 16 years old! Hopefully, they were at least 18 years old. It was a little odd that a lot of them were wearing white flip flops under their formal gowns. I guess that added to the feeling that some thought this was a fun activity for a Saturday and not an eternal relationship kind of thing. Oh, am I being rude? Perhaps. Shame on me. I need to be less judgemental.

(P.S. Patti made a comment on this blog and it reminded me that I hadn't put all my feelings in the post. If my friend Ann had been wearing flip flops under her dress I think I would have felt differently, but when everything about the young ones seemed flakey...the flip flops just seemed to add to that occasion. So, here I go adding more and probably digging myself into an unintended pit when my feelings aren't really that strong on this topic. Ha. I guess it give me insight though - some people are reading this blog) (-:

Really, I didn't feel like I was judging them at this point in life. It's more of a feeling of "wow, I'm so glad that I didn't get married at that age." Now, it's taken me a little too long to get to the marriage point, but I'm not sure how well it would have worked out for me if I had made that commitment so young. I just barely figured myself out in my 30s. Plus, I was a really late bloomer in the social relationship skills department.

It all comes down to this - to each his own.

And on that note, here are Ann and Mike on their special occasion. I think the pictures tell all - beautiful bride, handsome groom, wonderful temple and grounds, and couple in love.