I have this friend...

I'm 99.9% sure this friend doesn't read my blog. So, I'm going to write about her.

Why am I writing about her? Because, I haven't written a blog post in a while. I spent some time with this friend the other day...and the deep gratitude I have for her has been pressing on my heart ever since. So, I want to express it somewhere.

This friend is older than I am. Quite a bit. Well, not like anciently older than I, but a good number. She's 15 years older. Or...14? Anyway...somewhere around there.

This friend is one of my best. Here's why:

*Length of friendship: We've been friends for the past 14 or 15 years. That's a long time.

*She listens to me. Doesn't always try to offer advice...but will if needed or called for.

*She's not a "when it's convenient" friend. She's an "always" friend. We can talk every week, or we can go months without talking. It doesn't matter. We're always friends.

*When I met her, I was 12 years old. I thought she could walk on water. I became somewhat obsessed...or...infatuated with her. She was my touchable hero, as aposed to Amy Grant, my untouchable hero. During this time, it was apparent to everyone around me that I probably had unhealthy expectations of her...alot of my "happiness" rested in her hands. I made it that way. She knew this, yet, she still remained my friend, set healthy boundaries, and loved me anyway. When she'd cancel on me, I'd freak out, get really disappointed because my "hero" had turned out to be flawed...but still, she stuck by me...rode out my disappointment and always made it up to me. I've since mellowed out...no longer infatuated, but just very appreciative.

*She's the type of friend who enhances my life...and I enhance her life. She doesn't expect anything from me...like, if I didn't call her for a year, she wouldn't be upset with me...if I forgot her birthday she wouldn't love me any less. But, while she doesn't expect these things from me, she does enjoy these things, and when I do these things, it enhances her life. It's the same way when the situation is reversed. It wasn't always that way...I used to expect a lot from her back in my younger years. But as I've gotten older, I've learned a bit more and expanded my ability to understand people's different circumstances...spouce, kids, work, life...it's all hard to juggle. So, while she may not call me as often as my younger heart disired...or send me a card on my birthday, it's okay, because when it comes right down to it, she is always constant, ALWAYS there.

*She doesn't want or need to know my secrets when I don't want to share them...but she wants to know and listen when I'm ready to share and tell.

*She sees the real me. The good me, underneath it all. So, whatever crap I tell her about myself, it doesn't matter. Because I know she can see what God sees...or pretty darn close.

I have many amazing friends. But, like I said, my friendship with her has been on my heart lately. I'm so glad for good friendships. This life is hard enough to have to go it alone.

Song of the week...this is a good one :)

Sara Bareilles knows what's up. She's got my back...always knows the perfect words for my thoughts. :) Love her voice...love her words.

Song of the Week

The song speaks for itself.

Thirteenth: This week

1) I nearly broke down on the freeway while driving to work (I don't really know...but my car sounded and felt like it was going to explode).
2) The car guys fixed my car...only $250 later my car sounds healthy again
3) I shared the gospel with a co-worker and invited her to church
3) She declined, but we're still friends
4) I watched American Idol and realized I have a crush on Steven Tyler
5) I got really disappointed while watching American Idol, realizing that neither the judges nor America recognize true talent
6) I've spent many hours with my new recording equipment and can't wait to share the latest song I've been working on...
7) I've gone to bed an hour later than I usually do, every single night this week
8) My room's a mess
9) It's rained a lot
10) Today the rain was so weird...I was driving home from work and it was just spitting at my car. Seriously...it was coming down in random spurts...really heavy at random moments. Weirdest rain I've ever encountered, especially for Oregon.
11) I've been considering deactivating my facebook account...just for a little while...we'll see.
12) Trying to take more time to read the scriptures.
13) Cried while watching Grey's Anatomy, but that's nothing new. I've been watching them on netflix...all the seasons...I cry all the time. I'm obsessed with the show.
14) Recorded a duet with my mom, "When I Am Baptized." I'm trying to get Kayleen to sing some harmony as well...but every time I ask her she's watching a show she just can't be pulled away from. Speaking of which...
15) I watched The Bachelor this week...never watch that show, but Kayleen had it on, and...well, I got sucked into the stupid drama. Good thing it's over next week.

Song of the Week

A little late this week. Try to look past the corniness of this song...it's actually really good, just made in the 70's. :)

Twelfth: What's in my bag...

I have a small purse. Never been a purse fan. From the age of 18 to about 21 I used this teeny purse...more like a velcro wallet attached to leather straps. For my 21st birthday my mom decided I needed something a bit more fashionable. I don't really care about fashion...when it comes to most things. Anyway, so I've been using that purse, a small leather shoulder purse, for the past 5 years. Well, a few weeks ago, the strap broke. So, I've been using this slightly bigger bag that says "Deseret Book" on it...nothing fancy. It's comparable to those reusable grocery bags. I got it for free when I worked at Deseret Book. So, I've stuck my strapless purse inside that bag...and a few extra things. Here's the list:

*Two pieces of sheet music (I'm the choir director in my church/ward)
*A couple pieces of junk mail
*A thing of tissues
*Pens...several of them
*A teeny 5-hour energy drink that I don't intend on drinking, but my boss gave it to me when I was interning at Deseret Book, and I keep it in my purse because it holds sentimental value :)
*A camera
*A check book
*My temple recommend
*Lots of useless little pieces of paper...like the paper holder I got my graduation tickets in...and receipts...and old wrappers :)

Eleventh: The sibs

So, here are the sibs. These are the sibs I've spent my entire life around. Love 'em to death.

Kayleen: Two years, two weeks, and a day younger than I. We fought tons growing up...now we keep it to the bare minimum.:) She's got style...major style. She's a rockin' hair dresser. Seriously, I would trust her to cut my hair blind folded. :) She loves what she does and she's great at it. Kayleen always goes for what she wants. She never wavers. When she's in, she's in all the way. She never fakes anything. She's always known what she wants and goes after it. She's hard core. Gets really passionate about things and lives what she's passionate about. She knows how to be a good friend. She's a good listener...and soooo much fun to be around. I love hanging out with her.

Kevin: Six and a half years younger than I. He was my little Kevie for so long...and somehow...someway he turned into a man when I wasn't looking. He knows how to make me laugh. He's the type of guy that definitely doesn't need to be...or ever want to be the center of attention. But he does know how to make people laugh. He's quiet. Never gets into fights...never gets mad. He just lets things roll of his back. I haven't seen him cry or yell since he was about 8 years old. He's a musical genius. He plays the piano and guitar...and plays anything and everything by ear. He writes brilliant pieces. It's like he's been writing for years, but he's been writing less than a year. I really think his stuff will be on the radio some day.

Bobby joined our family, um...well basically when I got home from my mission. That's when he started coming around all of the time. Kayleen and Bobby have been married for over a year, almost two. I think it will be two years in July...or June? I can't even remember. Shoot. Bobby is a month and a half younger than I am. When we were little kids, he always liked to tell me he was older than I was, because he was born in February, and I was born in December, and February comes before December in the year. I'd try to correct him by telling him I was born in 84 and he was born in 85...but 7-year-old boys don't usually listen to 7-year-old girls. :) Bobby and Kayleen are perfect together. He's a guy who knows what he wants and goes after it. He doesn't waste any time. He's a really funny guy. He cracks me up all the time. He's goofy funny...if you know what I mean. He'll just make random crazy noises...or start jumping up and down. He's full of energy and really knows how to have fun. He's a brilliant computer guy...and can fix any computer problem. But he hates macs. HATES macs...

Here's the Hanchett clan. We all became siblings several years ago...January of 1996, I believe. Front row, left to right: Me, Crystal (yes, two Crystals in the fam), Jonna, Heather, Kevin. Back row, left to right: Kayleen, Mike, Penny. From oldest to youngest it goes, Heather, Jonna, Mike, Penny, Crystal, me, Kayleen, Kevin.

Heather: Stay-at-home mom, has one boy and 3 girls. Her oldest, Kevin (two Kevin's in the fam as well) is waiting for his mission call, attending BYU-I. Heather's kind, soft-spoken and sensitive.

Jonna: A nurse...the kind that works with babies. She's married and has two kids, Grace and James. I took care of Grace last Spring and got really close with her. Jonna's very practical. She's got a good head on her shoulders. Makes wise decisions and is sensitive to people's needs and concerns. She's been a good friend to me...very patient with me and my emotional outbursts at times, whether over the phone or in person. Jonna didn't get married til she was 36. I respect her a TON, because she didn't make the fact that she was single her identity. She set goals and went after them and really enjoyed life...and then found a man when she least expected it.

Mike: Honestly...don't know the guy. Never lived around him and we never talk. What I know of him is, he's a nice, sensitive guy and a good father to his children. He owns his own construction business in Arizona...works hard for the money.

Penny: Another hair dresser in the family. She's got a girl and two boys. She's the type of person who can move a mile a minute. She and her daughter are best friends. She loves to shop...and she's good at it. If shopping could ever be considered a talent, Penny's got the talent. She knows how to find the best items for the cheapest price. She always comes over with the cutest outfits...or her kids are in the cutest outfits, and then she'll tell us the ridiculously low price the entire outfit was. It's amazing. She likes to be surrounded by people...never wants to be alone. She's a fun soul.

Crystal: Very tender-hearted. She lived with us for a couple of years...so I got to know her as a sister really well. She's also a hair dresser/stay-stay-at-home mom...only doing hair out of her home or other people's homes when they ask her. She's got three beautiful little girls. Crystal's that type of person who's totally beautiful, but doesn't recognize it. Or, if she does...she doesn't let on. She humble and kind.

So...there are the sibs. Glad to have them. Glad I'm not alone in this world. :)