Wedding's abound!

This past weekend Clay, Lilliana and I traveled to Jackson, Mississippi for one of my best friend's weddings. There really are no words to describe how beautiful it was and how amazing Melissa looked. It was also really great to get together with my old study group from nursing school and have an old fashioned LSON reunion :) I really miss these girls terribly and I so wish we all lived in the same area again. I can say without hesitation that I NEVER would have made it through nursing school without these girls there to encourage me, make me laugh, and just get me through each new day that was thrown at us.

I hate to admit it, but when I started nursing school I remember the teachers telling us we should get to know each other in class well because we would learn to rely on each other. I on the other hand didn't think I needed anymore friends at the time. I was involved in cheerleading, sorority and multiple after school activities so I though my book was too full for anyone else. Thankfully, the Lord had other plans for me and sent me 4 wonderful women that I plan to stay connected with for life. All of these women were involved in my wedding in one way or another and we have in turn been there as each of us pledge our lives to the one's we love.

It's amazing how different our personalities and lives are from each other, but in the end we all share the same passion for nursing. I think the first girl I met was Jennifer. We were the same age and I always thought she was so cute with her matching running shorts and tennis shoes. Seriously, I think she must have owned about 4 or 5 pairs of tennis shoes because they always coordinated with her outfits :) She was short and petite like me and I just assumed she was a sorority girl I had yet to meet. Then there was Melissa. I remember she seemed like a very humble and genuine woman. When she found out that I was a Pi Phi she told me she knew one of my sorority sisters from high school. According to her, I kinda brushed her off after that statement but again, I didn't think I needed anymore friends around this time :) I then met Michelle, AKA "the brain". Let me tell you this girl is brilliant. She currently works at St. Jude and besides me is the only one who still lives in Memphis. She seemed a little standoffish in the beginning but through the years we have really broken her in :) Nursing was Michelle's second degree, so with her prior social work degree she did have some life experiences to help us out. Then there was Katie. In the beginning, I just remember her being the "tall girl". Mind you, I am only like 5 feet tall so most people are "tall" to me! We may call Michelle "the brain" but Katie was pretty darn smart herself. I guess we all were, as we all graduated with honors and, I feel were a good example to those behind us in nursing school.

We have all been there for each other through the good and the bad times. Through break-ups, marriages, the death of loved one's, and many, many hours of studying. Each one of us brought something unique to our study group and in the end we really learned a lot about each other. We have had multiple beach trips, gone to med school Halloween parties together, looked for lost dog's, trip's to Jackson, trip's to Birmingham, made up song's, and even argued a few times :) Melissa, Jenn and I were coordinators for our nursing school pinning ceremony, where we made a wonderful video and wrote a few speeches. We have given each other awards for the pieces of clothing each other owned that we hate the most, and just pretty much been there every step of the way.

I love you girls and am so happy that God placed you in my life. Each one of you has touched my life in one way or another and I am so glad that we have been able to reconnect and stay such good friend's through the years. :)