Katie

I met Katie in the 8th grade shortly after moving from Pampa to Amarillo. I was in a bit of a culture shock when I arrived even though I went to a great school. It was when Amarillo was going through the "grunge phase," a few years after the rest of the country had been experiencing "punk." During the first few weeks of school I saw a boy with shoulder length fushia hair, and then I met the student council president who came down the sidewalk up to the school entrance dressed in a thrift store princess outfit screaming the "f" word. I was in a denim vest and loafers. Welcome to the big city! Since I moved to the great metropolis of Amarillo in August, I got put into classes that I was unsure of, for example, p.e. I had already met my state requirements for physical education, but somehow I got put in this class. One must understand that my p.e. class was quite the mix of girls. There were the girls that pretended to be pregnant and during basketball drills would hold their stomachs "just in case." Note: I was afraid of these girls. Then, there were girls like Katie. Katie was the line leader of exercises. Katie did everything 110%. Katie understood the coordination drill and what moved where when. I didn't really meet or remember talking to Katie until I sat behind her in Pre-AP US History. She made a 98 on a paper and argued, politely, of course, that it should have been a 100 since nothing was wrong. She even mentioned her two points could merely be added due to the fact it was on "quality paper." I was the new girl and took advantage of her whining by teasing (and being quite annoying she would later tell me) her about her "quality paper." Mostly, I was trying to make a friend--one that wasn't holding her stomach pretending to be preggers at the tender age of 13. Katie has been a wonderful friend since. On Monday, I went up to Amarillo to see her before she left to go back to Georgia to pack her things to move to Washington, D.C. where she will begin working. Katie and I just get each other. We don't have to pretend like everything is great; we are who we are in any kind of mood or situation. Advice, tears, and joys have all been shared over the last twelve or thirteen years. We aren't alike in terms of personality, and I'm sure no one would've pictured us as friends. She's actually more like Micah. I think it's great we aren't alike; I would annoy myself as a friend. I'm also glad that I like her family so much...they treat me just like one of their own. As a matter of fact, they opened their home, handed me the keys to a car, even nursed me back to health last year when my mom was in the hospital. Anyway, it's just great having a friend like Katie--everyone should have one. And, I'm sure Katie won't read this for a long time since I have to remind her to check the blog.


I forgot to get a picture of us on Monday, but here's Katie and I at the shower her mom hosted at her house for my wedding.

Much love,