Monday, March 18, 2013

on just knowing, part II.

this is seriously just the weirdest, creepiest picture. but I think it's totes one million hilar, so we're going with it.

After my junior year of college, I thought it was kind of the end of the world.  The last of my five freshman roommates were getting married, and I figured I was destined for the nunnery and that I would never make another friend again.  I was moving out of my apartment and into a new one without any of my previous roommates (except for one and then she ended up moving home after a couple weeks).  I was not particularly jazzed about the situation.  I know you wouldn't think it, but I am probably in the top five people who are the worst at making friends.  When I meet new people, this is me: _______________. That was silence, in case you couldn't tell.

Anyway, so here I was in a new ward with two new roommates who were both a few years older than me and who were at different stages in their lives.  They were kind of friends from back home and were actually going to be living together for the first time.  I kind of felt like the outsider, you know. Just me and these two other girls who could already have friend-style conversations while I was probably creepily sitting on the couch staring at them.

I struggled there for the first couple weeks. I was starting my second job and I just didn't have my solid friend base that I had before and I just didn't know if I could be friends with these girls.  We had some small conversations, but they were short and only about the weather and lame stuff like that.

But then I remember the day when Danielle walked into the apartment after she had just gone shopping for some new tennis shoes.  She walked in and started telling me about how she had been able to get new Converse from the kids' section and how if your feet are still the same size after two years, you can exchange them for a brand new pair.  I thought that was pretty cool and I told her so.  And then we just started talking.  She told me about her mission in Russia and why she had chosen to go and then she told me about her family and all kinds of other stuff. I remember exactly where we were, too. I was sitting on the couch by the window and she was sitting on the arm of the weird blue "reading couch."

And I remember it was then that I just knew.

I knew we could be friends and I knew I wanted to be friends.  From then on, we did preeeetty much everything together.  That summer was full of a whole lot of sno cones, scootering, words of the week (okay, that was only once), music, evening walks, drive-in movies, long nights and conversations on the porch, intramural softball, and a whole bunch of other stuff.  That was one of the best summers ever and I know it wouldn't have been nearly as awesome if it hadn't been for Danielle.

Danielle is srsly one of the greatest people.  She's the best cook, she's always serving people, she is totes one million hilar, she can do the creepy doll eye, she uses and helps me spread all the abbrevs I use, she teaches the best institute lessons, and she's always down for a sno cone or scooter ride.  She is always, always, ALWAYS willing to let me use/eat/drive anything that belongs to her and never asks for anything in return.  Danielle is a friend that I can talk with late into the night and usually I don't even notice how late it is because I could just talk forever with her. And Danielle is a superstar.  Seriously. She's overcome a lot in her life and every day I'm like, you are SRSLY the most incredible person. I can't even get over it.  She's so friendly and could basically have a conversation with anyone and is the world's best girlfriend/fiancee (not to me, obviously--I'm just the best third wheel).

I'm really glad I've been able to live with her for the past two years.  It's kind of my favorite thing when people ask us how long we've known each other or if we're friends from back home. They just assume that because we're reeeeally good friends, but really we only know each other from living together.  It's good to have a friend like that. It's good to have a friend to rely on, that you can turn to when in need, and a friend that gets all your jokes and doesn't think you're a complete idiot when you start singing a Whitney Houston song and then stop mid-sentence to say something else. ("And IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII---did you guys see that?").

So here's to you, Danielle. May your days be merry and bright and may you forever tell 20 minute summaries of stories like that one called The Lady in the White Shining Waters of the Wishing Well when all I really wanted to do was go to bed. And may you always eat entire rotisserie chickens in one sitting.

"You guys, I just love food."

3 comments:

Shannon Mashinchi said...

Another day...another awesome post...you have me hooked girl! :)

Kristen Kilpatrick said...

Finding such a good friend in a roommate is a great find. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

such a great post. i love it! and both of you.