Jasmine

On the camping trip with Julie, another one of the people that I met was named Jasmine. She told me later that when I walked up to the campsite saying "Hi guys!" all cheery and familiar her first thought was "who is this girl that knows everyone but me? and why don't I know her?" She didn't realize I was faking it at the time, but she figured it out pretty quick when I had to learn everyone's name except for Julie. Over the next couple of days Jasmine and I got to know each other a little bit, and by the end of the camping trip we had stacked a bunch of half-blown-up air mattresses and one of us would lay on them and the other would jump on the other side, popping the other person off. It was a very fun time :D

After that we sorta hung out together a little but here and there, and said hi to each other in church, but we didn't really start hanging out until Halloween of that year. There was a party that we weren't planning on going to, but this other girl Chelsea who we knew convinced us to go with her. So we all dressed in dark clothes and put on heavy makeup and we used some wire to put in fake piercings and we were dressed as crazy goth rocker girls. After that Jasmine started coming over to hang out, her and this guy Mark came over all the time and we would play Guitar Hero. Julie and Mark and Jasmine were planning a trip to Disney World in December of that year, but as we bonded more and became better friends they postponed their trip until January so I could go with them.

Since then Jasmine and I have had tons of sleepovers and told each other almost everything we could ever tell each other. We talk about the silliest, stupidist, most random things ever and we laugh and laugh and laugh all the time. We have been on vacations and to concerts and on road-trips and had tons of adventures together. Pretty much any situation you could come up with, we have a funny/crazy/sad/interesting story that fits the situation. We do what I always do to bond with my friends - stay up late and girl talk and watch shows.

We have had our tough times too, but those times have made our friendship stronger. You know how it is with life, good things happen, but bad things happen too, and you can't have one without the other. Jasmine left for school for a spring term at BYU-I, but it wasn't really right for her, so she didn't stay. After that we lived together, and then because of financial issues she moved elsewhere. She has also had a crazy set of health troubles that seem like they keep coming one after another. But even with all that going on she recently finished beauty school and is the most amazing hair stylist a girl could ask for. Not to mention she helps me wax when I feel so inclined (which isn't super often, but it does happen). When it comes to having the strength to power through something, she definitely has it.

She is a good friend (and a goo friend lol) and we have shared a lot. She is one of the few people that have seen me cry and has lived to tell the tale. Haha. But really, for those who don't know me very well, I am not a big crier, but it has been known to happen. I have even gotten through those times with here there beside me.

From her I have learned that crying isn't weak, but sometimes it can be a great release. I learned that as much as I want to, I can't manage other people's feelings, and that is totally okay, and I need to accept that. I learned that I am never too old to have fun. I learned that I am not too fat to have fun either - I have too often let that hold me back. I learned that talking things through is a good idea, even though it can be difficult to do sometimes. I learned that there is always fun to be had, even if all we are doing is sitting around watching shows we have seen before and telling stories we have heard before as well. Jasmine is a really awesome person (and I know I don't tell her that often enough) who I am so glad I met. Thanks again Julie ;)