It's Funny...

...how friendships can change so much in so little time.

I ran into a friend of mine from college yesterday at a convention in Louisville. I knew she would be there. I was counting on running into her, and it happened. What I didn't expect to happen was for it to be so...awkward...to see her. I know I've changed a lot and she's probably changed some and we don't talk like we used to, but it was still strange. I thought it may be a little strange to see her for such a brief time in that environment, but she walked away and I felt...awkward. Like something was left unsaid or missing or just off. It was so strange to experience. Less than an hour after that I ran into another friend from college, and it was totally fine. It was normal, just like it always was when we hung out. I know the friendships were different. One always felt like I had to be on my toes, one was completely comfortable and safe.

I've known for awhile that this friend and I were drifting apart. Before yesterday, the last time I spoke with her was shortly after Tim and I got engaged back in November. I guess it's just like that sometimes. What it did make me realize, however, is how much more I appreciate the friendships I have that have stood the test of time since college. The people that, whether I talk to them every day, week, or month, they are still my friends and I can't imagine my life without them. There is something beautiful about friendships, unique as they are, that don't take work, they just are. Simple, complex, beautiful, and sacred all wrapped up into the people that I love the most, that I cherish in my life.

That is how I chose my bridesmaids. Each one has made a direct impact on me as a person. Liz, Rene, and Jenny have all helped shape me into the person that I am today. Without their impact in my life, I would not be where I am or who I am. That's why I am honored to have them stand beside me and witness the most important moment of my life.

On the other side, I guess even when you know things have changed and things will change, even when there are people in your life that sometimes drive you absolutely insane, there is still something sad about the finality of knowing whatever friendship you had is quickly fading away into oblivion, having served whatever purpose for which it was intended.

A Beautiful Song

If You Ever Fall, Ana Laura
You say that you've had enough
You're giving up on love
You think that you'll never trust
Well, I can see
That your heart's been broken too many times
It was wrong, now it's locked up so tight
And you're standing strong

But if you ever fall
Just fall into my arms
I would never hurt you
If you're ever going to trust this heart
I will be here
To catch you when you fall

I have been watching you
I've seen this all before
What you must be going through
Is hard to take

When love seems so far out of your reach
You don't want to try
You're too scared to feel
Too ashamed to cry

If you ever fall
Just fall into my arms
I would never hurt you
If you're ever going to trust this heart
I will be here
To catch you when you're falling
Calling
Watching and waiting
for the time when you find the strength to let go

If you ever fall
Just fall into my arms
I would never hurt you
If you're ever going trust my heart
I will be here to catch you when you fall.

Time if Flying so Fast...

Okay, I'm pretty sure I blinked and the month of June flew by. I know there's still another week, but dang, this summer is going to fly by! It's been a crazy couple of weeks. It's not that there is a lot going on, I just feel really crazy and hectic lately. Two jobs and wedding planning, plus trying to have a life, is very tiring. I'm so very ready for life to slow down. I cannot wait to get married and be married and to start that phase of my life. It's going to be so great!! I don' think I am going to do anything for the first few months after we are married because I just want to do that and work on that relationship. I love the extra money from the parttime job and I know it's necessary, but I'm tired of being tired all the time.

In other news, I have my first bridal shower in a couple weeks. Pampered Bride. That should be fun! And, I got onto our Kohl's registry the other day just for the fun of it and things have actually been purchased!! How exciting is that?!?!?!?!

Not a lot else. I'm working on the final couple things for the invitations and then that is done. How fun is that. I think sending them out and getting the RSVPs back in will be very exciting!! Jenny has said it's one of her favorite parts of the whole thing so far, so I think that's super fun. Getting them done and put together will be awfully fun, as well.

Okay, off we go.

Why Not...

Okay, I started a MySpace page. I must be bored. Here's the address

http://www.myspace.com/justemilyb

I'll try and keep it updated, but we'll just have to see now won't we? :)

Myspace?

I've been debating starting a myspace site. Why? I have no idea. I really like blogger. I like my blog. There are things that the myspace site does a little differently that I really enjoy, and there I things I don't care about. So, in the end, I just don't know. I may do it, just to do it, but who knows. Lately I've had a hard time even kepping this one updated, much less trying to do another one. So, we'll see!!!

Catching Up With Old Friends

The last few days have been very exciting, but have created a real sense of nostalgia in my life. It all started about a week and a half ago when I got in contact with a girl who I actually went to middle school with and then she moved away. We actually ran into each other several years later at our college graduation, as well. I was looking through some photos from an event that some people here at the church went to and found her again! Turns out she never left bloomington, either. At least, as of yesterday. We got together for dinner at the Encore Cafe and spent a good couple hours talking and catching up and just hanging out. It was tons of fun, actually. I was a little nervous about going because I really hadn't talked to this girl in what, 13 years, but it was fun. She's moving to Ft. Lauderdale in the middle of July to get her master's in marine biology, which is very cool. We're hoping to get together a couple more times in the next few weeks, before she leaves. So that was that.

Last Sunday was similar to that in many ways. If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know that two of our ministers left about this time last year. Phil & Phil, actually. While I won't go into all the sorted details of why they left (even though they are some interesting stories), they both were back in Bloomington on Sunday. So, Tim and I went to the house of a friend and hung out by the pool, soaked up some sun, and just caught up on what had been happening in their lives. It was great, and a little like coming home in some ways. It was strange to see them, but it also felt like nothing had really changed. Go figure. So, that was a great, relaxing, and wonderful Sunday. Probably the first Sunday in a really long time that I hadn't taken an afternoon nap and I didn't even really miss it.

I'm heading home to Albion for the weekend this afternoon. Mom informed me that the annual Chain-O-Lakes Festival is going on, so I will probably end up running into more people that I knew from some time in my past. What a crazy adventure life can be sometimes.

Check the wedding blog for the newest updates about all that crazy stuff!

Random Thoughts #410

I'm pretty sure I do a random thoughts blog quite often, so I decided an arbitrary number was in order for this one...

I learned something about my mom last time I was home that I just remembered recently. She doesn't really like strawberries. I was shocked. I've lived with this woman my entire life...and I remember always having strawberries and strawberry shortcake and all that in the house in the summer. Now, she doesn't hate them and she will eat them, but they're not something she would just choose to eat if there were other options. Who knew?!? I love strawberries and am glad that I don't have a food allergy against them, like Cameron did when he was little!

My family is crazy. Crazy funny, yes...but also just plain crazy. None of it would make sense to anyone who doesn't know my grandma, mom, and aunt, but wow. Mom called and filled me in all on the juicy details yesterday--I don't know when the last time was that I laughed that hard! It was hysterical, at least to me.

I watched about the last hour of the spelling bee last night--and cried when the girl won. Now, I will admit that I'm a little more inclined to be emotional right now that I usually am, but I'm pretty sure that's no excuse for crying because someone won the silly spelling bee!

I've started the annual headache that is the church directory. I can think of about a million other things I would rather do than deal with it, but I know it's important to get it done...and once it is done, we only have one more year on our contract with this company...and we better not renew it, that's all I'm saying!

Les Miserables will be in Indy in about six weeks. It's one of my absolute favorite shows, if not my favorite. I'm hoping to be able to make it up at some point to see it...just depends on the way the schedule works out.

Not a lot else. It's almost the weekend. It's been a four day week, but one of the longest in recent memory regardless!