It was 10 years ago today, that I reluctantly attended a dinner with a whole bunch of people I didn't know . . .
Kim had been inviting me to come hang out w/ this new group of friends she had met and just knew I'd love them.
But I didnt want any new friends and I didnt want to go hang out at a Bible Study, of all things!
But finally after a few months of Kim taking about how amazing these people were, I finally agreed to go to a group dinner.
There was probably around 20 people there and I didnt know any of them except Kim!
But there was one girl that was very outgoing and friendly, her name was Fawn, and she kept saying how much she loved my hair!
I liked that :)
Then, at dinner, I noticed that there was one girl that just kind of stood out from everyone else. She wasnt in raggy jeans and a t-shirt or flip-flops and she seemed older and more mature than everyone else. (Hang with me here because you never know how WRONG first impressions can be!!)
And I remember thinking- why is this older, mature lady hanging out with this group of kids? (and by kids of course they were all around my age).
Well, Fawn (who loved my hair) invited me to a girls night that next night. And since she was so friendly, I accepted (on the grounds that Kim was going too!).
So it was that next night at Fawn's house that I saw that "older, mature" woman and found out who she REALLY was!! She showed up in ripped up jogging pants and a t-shirt 3 sizes too big for her! Her hair was pulled into a tight yet crazy ponytail and the make-up was gone!
Instead of the quiet, reserved "woman" I had noticed at the dinner, I met the real deal- the crazy, silly full of life Dawn Jacobus!!
To think of what my first impression of her was now is SO funny to me!! What a trick she plays on us!
Well there was a new girl there that night that was not at the dinner. And it was Dawn's roommate, Jennifer Blackwood. The moment Jen walked into the room, I knew she was different, special. I made every effort to get a chance to talk to her and find out more about her. I had no clue what it was at the time, but something just drew me to her.
As the night rolled on and the cookie dough got passed around, I was beginning to finally understand what Kim had been seeing in this group of ladies for so long!
I was having so much fun, laughing so hard and there was absolutely no alcohol involved at all!
(which during that part of my life was pretty unheard of!)
The more I got to talk with Jen, the more I just knew I had to be her friend. There was something inside of me saying, "she has something you need and you have something she needs". I know now that it was the Holy Spirit speaking into my heart, but 10 years ago, I just knew it was this intense feeling.
So the next weekend there was another get-together of all these people (they hung out a lot!). And I was very excited for Jen and Dawn to arrive. During my conversation with Jen, I told her, "you are a really cool person". And in reply she said very honestly, "really?!". I said, "yes! I'd love to be your friend!" To which she replied, "why?".
And I was a little taken back . . .
I'm sure after a brief pause, I replied, "because you are really cool and I just think we should be friends". I don't exactly remember what she said but I'm sure it was just something like, "um, ok".
And that was the beginning of it all!
After those first few meetings, you could always find me over at Dawn and Jen's house. I was there pretty much every day and every night. I'd bake cookies or have something to bring when I came over because I felt bad being there all the time and not contributing somehow!!
I would practice my massage on them (as I had just graduated from massage school) and that seemed to help me be a welcomed guest! Dawn was especially keen on head scratches though they left her looking like she had a wild lions mane when I was finished!
Jen usually fell asleep within the first 5 minutes of me practicing on her neck. But I must say that I'm so confident in neck massages now because I always had a willing participant to let me practice!
And since those short 10 years ago, we have had so many amazing adventures and experiences together! We love to take trips together, so we've been on a cruise, traveled in Italy and gone to Thailand together.
These ladies have been such an amazing influence in my life and the past 10 years would have looked very different (and much darker) had they not come in and changed my life forever!!
And I have the amazing persistence of my Best Friend, Kim, to thank also!! Thank you Kimmy for willing to be the guinea pig in finding us new friends and for not giving up on me!! And my life would be even darker without you being in it for the past 27 years!!! (those first 5 without you were the toughest!). Love you BFFEADDUP!!!
Kim had been inviting me to come hang out w/ this new group of friends she had met and just knew I'd love them.
But I didnt want any new friends and I didnt want to go hang out at a Bible Study, of all things!
But finally after a few months of Kim taking about how amazing these people were, I finally agreed to go to a group dinner.
There was probably around 20 people there and I didnt know any of them except Kim!
But there was one girl that was very outgoing and friendly, her name was Fawn, and she kept saying how much she loved my hair!
I liked that :)
Then, at dinner, I noticed that there was one girl that just kind of stood out from everyone else. She wasnt in raggy jeans and a t-shirt or flip-flops and she seemed older and more mature than everyone else. (Hang with me here because you never know how WRONG first impressions can be!!)
And I remember thinking- why is this older, mature lady hanging out with this group of kids? (and by kids of course they were all around my age).
Well, Fawn (who loved my hair) invited me to a girls night that next night. And since she was so friendly, I accepted (on the grounds that Kim was going too!).
So it was that next night at Fawn's house that I saw that "older, mature" woman and found out who she REALLY was!! She showed up in ripped up jogging pants and a t-shirt 3 sizes too big for her! Her hair was pulled into a tight yet crazy ponytail and the make-up was gone!
Instead of the quiet, reserved "woman" I had noticed at the dinner, I met the real deal- the crazy, silly full of life Dawn Jacobus!!
To think of what my first impression of her was now is SO funny to me!! What a trick she plays on us!
Well there was a new girl there that night that was not at the dinner. And it was Dawn's roommate, Jennifer Blackwood. The moment Jen walked into the room, I knew she was different, special. I made every effort to get a chance to talk to her and find out more about her. I had no clue what it was at the time, but something just drew me to her.
As the night rolled on and the cookie dough got passed around, I was beginning to finally understand what Kim had been seeing in this group of ladies for so long!
I was having so much fun, laughing so hard and there was absolutely no alcohol involved at all!
(which during that part of my life was pretty unheard of!)
The more I got to talk with Jen, the more I just knew I had to be her friend. There was something inside of me saying, "she has something you need and you have something she needs". I know now that it was the Holy Spirit speaking into my heart, but 10 years ago, I just knew it was this intense feeling.
So the next weekend there was another get-together of all these people (they hung out a lot!). And I was very excited for Jen and Dawn to arrive. During my conversation with Jen, I told her, "you are a really cool person". And in reply she said very honestly, "really?!". I said, "yes! I'd love to be your friend!" To which she replied, "why?".
And I was a little taken back . . .
I'm sure after a brief pause, I replied, "because you are really cool and I just think we should be friends". I don't exactly remember what she said but I'm sure it was just something like, "um, ok".
And that was the beginning of it all!
After those first few meetings, you could always find me over at Dawn and Jen's house. I was there pretty much every day and every night. I'd bake cookies or have something to bring when I came over because I felt bad being there all the time and not contributing somehow!!
I would practice my massage on them (as I had just graduated from massage school) and that seemed to help me be a welcomed guest! Dawn was especially keen on head scratches though they left her looking like she had a wild lions mane when I was finished!
Jen usually fell asleep within the first 5 minutes of me practicing on her neck. But I must say that I'm so confident in neck massages now because I always had a willing participant to let me practice!
And since those short 10 years ago, we have had so many amazing adventures and experiences together! We love to take trips together, so we've been on a cruise, traveled in Italy and gone to Thailand together.
These ladies have been such an amazing influence in my life and the past 10 years would have looked very different (and much darker) had they not come in and changed my life forever!!
And I have the amazing persistence of my Best Friend, Kim, to thank also!! Thank you Kimmy for willing to be the guinea pig in finding us new friends and for not giving up on me!! And my life would be even darker without you being in it for the past 27 years!!! (those first 5 without you were the toughest!). Love you BFFEADDUP!!!
Wow!! 10 years with D&J... How awesome is that!! And 27 for us!?!? Oh my that makes us sound old! ....I wouldn't change a THING!! Thanks for loving me and coming along outside your comfort zone that night. (Kind of encourages me to start spreading out here in Raleigh!)
ReplyDeleteLove you dearly!!!