A Tribute.

I just wanted to make it clear that I have the most AMAZING friends in the world!

A. Justin Rex Baker has been my best friend for a long long time. He's the person I go to for advice in all my sticky situations and when the drama of life appears. He is an incredible example and leader of our family *sibling wise anyway* I miss him too much. When he went on his mission I was devastated... for a while.. then we started growing in the gospel, which enhanced our relationship by a HUNDRED times. He's my go-to. I love him to pieces and I just wanted to tell everyone how much I love him! Honestly, the greatest brother ever. :)

B. Stephanie Lynn Drew. Okay, so we've been best friends for a while now. Since.. about grade 9. But... we weren't always that way. We actually used to hate each other. Funny. We fought over a best friend and look where we ended up! I love this girl to death and I trust her with my life! She is so strong, and we have a lot of things in common. Her family is my second family, and I love them all! Though we've drifted a little bit in this past year, we can still get together and have a great time.... her new favorite past time. Knitting. She's making me something special :) hahaha! If she read this she'd laugh. I know I sure did! :) I love her. Nothing else needs to be said.

C. Laura Lynn Stoddard. What a blessing! She is my newest best friend. I love her to pieces. We met in... unusual circumstances and if you ask her she'll just laugh. Good thing I'm kind of a stalker, or I wouldn't have met her.. or my other friend from Utah! (see E.) She is honestly the greatest! Her and her family helped me find a home in Utah. I hated it there until my Heavenly Father blessed me with this friend. She was an answer to my pleading, and I thank Him every day for the wonderful blessing Laura is. I'm excited to get back to her! She's hilarious. We've had some pretty awkward moments.. and many, many late nights just talking and laughing. It's a pretty perfect friendship!

D. Nicole Pamela Martin. She's my one and only twin. We discovered that we share a date of birth. Therefor making us twins... and well.. our cousins are cousins. No big deal. :) I love her! She just graduated from high school. Yep. Now she's all grown up and going to experience the stress of the real world. Best of luck. :) haha. Nicole is like my clone. Honestly we should have been twins. We have one major difference though. She's diabetic. Probably the worst diabetic I've ever known. ;) She knows it, so it's okay that I say that. For anyone who really knows me... I hate hospitals. But.. one day I got home from a hard day's work and I had a message from her mother telling me she was in the hospital. I sucked it up and went and visited with her for two hours while she was there. I know.. I'm such a good friend. ;) hahaha. just kidding. I just felt it a good thing to do to visit her while she was there. And it was fine. I survived. I love her. We've had quite the history but we suck it up and get over it. All in all... I'm really glad we're friends.

E. Jacob McClure Van den Akker. Okay.. This is the friend Laura introduced me too... again we had kind of a strange meeting. Story of my life. So.. Jacob got his mission call to Seattle, Washington. He leaves in approximately 18 days. Not that I'm counting or anything. (really I'm not... I just counted it out on my calendar for this post.) I just really love this kid! He's one of the best friends I've ever had. He's a pretty big part of who I am today. He knows me almost better than I know myself. He is so great to talk to, he reminds me a lot of my dad. When things in my life get rough I go to him because he gives the BEST advice, and he helps me realize that life is okay.. and challenges are given to everyone. It's what we do with them that make us either better, or worse! I'm going to Utah in 5 days to say farewell, and as hard as it will be it will be worth it! I just want to say a big thank you and congratulations to him on doing the right thing and I'm SO SO proud! :)

F. Carlene Janet Palmer. Oh my lantus I love this girl! She is doing her practicum and the U of A hospital to become an x-ray tech! She'll be graduated in May of '11 and I am so happy for her. As much as I wish she could have gone to Weber with me, she knows that this was the best decision for her. She's a greatest! Recently we had a tea party with Steph, and it was wonnaful! :) (that's the accent we all know and love). Carlene was my Physics friend, and honestly without her DRAGGING me there I probably wouldn't have gone. She forced me to take Physics 30 with her, and I'm so glad I did. We had some splendid times... even though I was called "the class disturbance". Our lives are so different, but what I love about our friendship is that no matter how long it's been since we've talked or seen each other, the instant we are together it's like we never left! I can't wait for her to experience her first boyfriend! :) T'will be a hot topic to talk about when it happens! We can share all the juicy details! :)

G. Last but certainly not least.... Neechel Kymber Steed. I love this little girl so much! She is one foxy mama. We have had so many amazing times together.. starting back in good old grade 9.. we were the oddest pair of friends you could ever see.. Me being close to giant, and her close to midget. I bet anyone who saw found great pleasure. :) despite our height difference we were as close as sisters. Now we're different people living different lives, but we still find on occasion a chance to play. I'm the friend she chooses when she needs a rescue from a date... in other words, she calls me when she needs a double. She is a gorgeous young girl... whoever gets her in the end will be the luckiest man alive! She's hard working and terrific with kids. We have similar goals in life, and I am glad she's my friend!

I do have many more wonderful friends! And I thank all of them for helping me find who I am in this world. All of them are such wonderful examples to me and make me strive to live a better life! Love you guys!!