Tribute To My Ladies

Warning: Many photos ahead.

I have talked about them before, but recent I acquired something that always makes me think about them even more. The journal. My three best friends and I went on the most wonderful trip to North Carolina after we graduated college and while we were there we decided to pick up a blank journal. We wanted to do something similar to “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”. I know, it’s a little cheesy, but who doesn’t love cheese?? So, we came up with some rules (which have definitely changed over time) and came up with an order of who would get it.

The journal is almost full and Liesje already picked up a new one for us when she spent the summer in Spain with her parents. While it may seem silly, this journal means a lot to us. I always look forward to reading what other have written and leaving my comments. Even though we talk on the phone and tell each other most of what is written in the journal, we still read everything. I think about how special these journals will be years from now. When we all own houses. When getting together becomes a little harder. When we all have kids to show how powerful friendship can be if your heart is in it. I can’t wait to go back and read about all of our adventures.

And there are adventures because these three girls are so amazing. I have such great memories with all of them, together and individually. So I wanted to share with you these three amazing women who I am lucky enough to call my best friends.

 

Monica

Picture curtesy of Monica’s sister, Briana

Selfie in Topsail, NC

Monica and I met before college even started. We were both at school early to get ready for a pre-orientation called the Denison Outdoor Orientation. It was a backpacking trip through West Virginia wilderness. The first time I saw Monica, I was running to the bathroom of our freshman year dorm because I had cut my finger open. Monica was at her door struggling to get it open as I ran down the hall with a bloody finger. My mom greeted her and helped with her door. And that’s how our friendship began. It just so happened that we were both in the same hiking group.

So we sat together on the bus to WV and shared a tent for 4 days. Things got pretty weird I’m not gonna lie to ya. Our trip just so happened to be during a super rainy weekend and we were pretty much soggy the whole time. There was one night we didn’t even eat dinner because the rain and wind was so strong it knocked our dinner over and spilled it everywhere.

A picture from our pre-orientation. Monica and I are on the far right.

Ever since then we have been best friends. She brings out the adventurer in me and helps me take chances that I might not if she weren’t around. She has such a go-with-the-flow attitude and she meanders through life in the best way. Monica is also the most resourceful person I have ever met. If something needs to be fixed or if she needs an earring holder, you bet your bottom dollar she will find a way to make one. Stephen and I plan on going on the best cross country road trip with this lady one day.

 

Liesje

This was taken during a trip Liesje and I took to Vienna, Austria

Liesje is always a picture of elegance and class. She was probably the second of the three ladies that I got close to in freshman year. If you met us freshman year, you might have thought it was a weird friend combination. But somehow we connected and became the best of friends. I brought out the weird in her and she brought out the class in me.

We met through mutual friends freshman year and found that even though we came from completely different backgrounds and upbringings, we shared similar views. Shared a similar sense of humor. And we can never shut up when we are together. We have such a strong connection that sometimes we will call each other and know the other person has something they need to talk about.

Now I feel as if she is part of my family and I am part of hers. I’m even friends with her mom on Facebook (Hi, Mama Steenkiste!). Liesje has been there for me during some pretty hard times and some pretty amazing times. She helped me realize it’s okay to cry (even if I’m still not 100% comfortable with it) and she helped me pick myself up senior year when I thought I had hit rock bottom about my future. I have nothing but positive things to say about this woman. Well….except maybe that she lives all the way in Seattle now and that’s sometimes lame. I wish we could live next door to each other. Maybe one day we will…

 

Haley

Always a good model for my photography projects.

Haley and I lived in the same dorm freshman year (with Monica, too). She and I had some fun times freshman year, but it wasn’t until sophomore year when the four of us lived together for the first time that I felt really close with her. She loves to dance as much as I do and it is something we have always bonded over. Plus she is just as silly as I am and sometimes our silliness can get out of hand. She appreciates life and the little things, and she always has a good perspective on things if I need an opinion about something.

I feel so lucky and so happy that she and I don’t live too far away from each other. It is a pretty short drive to Pittsburgh and I get to see her fairly often. She and I can sit and talk for hours about anything and everything. She is one of my favorite people to go see a chick flick with and to snuggle on the couch. Lately, I have gotten to be her right hand during some hard times and I felt honored knowing she could count on me. I was usually the first person she called when she really needed to talk and I know she would do the same for me if I really needed her.

***

These three have such a special place in my heart and soul. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without these guys. I have been missing them all so much lately and it makes me realize how I took being roommates for granted. I miss having you all right down the hall. Knowing you would be there all day, every day. I didn’t realize until the very end how precious all that time together was.

I hope everyone takes the time to tell their friends how much you love them and appreciate them, wherever they are in the world.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed getting to know my best ladies a little more.

I’ll check you later!