[people i love]

the word on the street is that my blog is depressing.

thus, i am making a concerted effort to make it reflect

the abundant joy that is in my life,

which i often forget to blog about in the fog of my frustration and feelings.

this post is dedicated to people that i love,

to the people who are and have been important to me at different parts along my journey.

you mean the world to me.

whether or not i've seen you recently,

whether or not we talk regularly,

you have been a part of God's work in making me who i am.

i love you, i promise.

my family: mom, dad, will, emily.

there is too much to say to say much here.

my love and support always, i love you all more than you know.

rachel:

my friend since she invited me to go bowling and sleep over at her house after the eighth grade dance, my constant car/bus companion for countless drives to smyrna which generally involved starbuck's or chick-fil-a, my thrift store shopping buddy, my source for good tunes, my second home in high school, the person who might know everything about me, my love.

elissa:

my middle school literacy friend who was nerdy alongside me, my freshman year of college roommate, my constant support, my late-night movies and sweets partner in crime, she has seen me at my best and at my worst, laughed with me and cried with me, shared her heart for Jesus with me, my love.

my ladyview loves: meredith, laura boldt, carlen, lauraline.

the beautiful women i have lived with for two years,

i can't say enough about the place i hold for them in my heart.

lora wong:

my dance friend since around the bananaphone era, my dance friend today, my sister in Christ, my love. (and i love that you call me laura elizabeth.)

gracie:

the girl i met when she first moved to marietta and thought, "i will be friends with this girl," the person i can count on to bring out the spontaneous in me, my road trip to greenville partner, she can make laugh anytime, my love.

my camp family:

the Lord has grown me so much through knowing you. i love how different you all are and yet how much we share in common.

my johnson ferry small group: jenny, carole ann, kathryn, katie, sarah, katherine, katie, courtney, jasmine, allison, hillary.

the girls i've shared hearts with for so many years, so many mission trips, and so many christmas parties. you have been such an encouragement in my walk with Jesus, and i am so thankful for each of you.

the girlie posse:

the girls who loved me during some of my weirdest moments in life. thank you for the best summer-before-high-school a girl could ask for.

my ib family:

the people i took all my classes with, ate all my lunches with, went to all the football games with, the people who were pulling all the same all-nighters i was and who were taking all the same tests as i was, the people who are part of some of my favorite memories.

i am going to stop since it feels like this post has turned into a series of yearbook entries.

but hey, a girl can be sentimental every now and then, right?

love, laura.