Raising Helen..

 Girlfriends are really what makes growing up SO much fun. I LOVE my girlfriends and I feel like they are part of what has made me into who I am today. I think the people (girlfriends) in our life are SOO important. We need girls to talk with, shop with, Shop with, shop with, (haha) and just go through life with. This has been one of the hardest parts about living in a foreign country... missing all my girls!!! But thank goodness for modern technology.. skype, facebook, blogging, e-mail.. at least we can still have phone dates!! :) So.. I wanted to take you on a little journey of some of the girls that I grew up with and who helped shape me into the woman I am today. I am going to do another one of these about all the girls who I went through my college years with also, BUT that will be a whole other blog!  I will try and not write a novel about each beautiful, wonderful girl!! In order of meeting the girls... the first girl I think I ever met, was my LINSEY <3  

OH mY goodness!!! When did I meet Linsey?? Well, lets just say the second I popped out of the womb! My mom had been babysitting Linsey while she was preggo with me, and little did we know that when I came out we would be glued at the hip for LIFE! We began playing in nursery together, and 22 years later.. I couldn't live without her.. literally!! Some memories of linz and I ... well, I was kind of the devil to her as we were growing up.. when I was 5 years old I cut all my hair off, put it in a shoe box out by the curb, and when I got in trouble for it my response was.."Linsey DID IT!!" "I told her to stop cutting but she wanted to cut ALL MY HAIR OFF!!" Not my best moment... pathological liar at the age of 5. Let's just say that didn't end well and I am surprised we are still so close. As we grew a little older, Linsey would have these terrible migranes EVERY time I came to spend the night. I was full of energy and did not understand why she was being SUCH a party pooper. SO, wha

 I decided to do was go play with her sister, and write mean notes to Linsey about how big of a LAMO she was being and slide them under the door. SAtan right??????? This just shows you what a forgiving heart she has... THANK GOD!!

 We had MANY sleepovers and were literally inseperable our entire life. Even through High school... we went to different schools, but it really didn't feel like it all.The main  Thing you need to know about us is.. well, I can talk linsey into doing ANYTHING(when really every idea I have is AWFUL!!!). Examples you ask?? WHy yes... driving the entire night home from cali, wearing shorts too tiny for both of us with crap written ALL on it, piercing her nose, cutting her hair, driving to see my in Joplin when I was dying without her, getting tat's together.. I could go ON and ON. But in all reality, linsey can talk me into ANYTHING as well. In our relationship, I am the annoying, crazy, silly one... and while Linsey has MANY silly sides to her, she has always been the more realistic one of the two of us.  Linsey has always been the friend that grounds me. She has soo much to offer and has always helped me take life more seriously and has always challanged me to be the best I can be. I have looked up to her my ENTIRE life... she was and is my Ro-model.. I have always wanted to be more like her.

 We both got the Honor of being each other's "Maid of Honor" in our weddings. It was a precious, surreal day for me when my linsey got married. I couldn't believe I was going to have to share her with someone... WHY?????? :) She is sooo incredible, she has a heart for missions, for helping others, for being the best wife ever, the best friend ever and one day the best mommy!! SHe is SOO dear to my heart and the very best friend in the whole world that a girl could ask for. What has she taught me?? To take life as it comes, but at the same time to make the most of it and take it seriously while having fun. She has taught me that above anything, put God first. She inspired me to go to Haiti because she had been to Africa and I wanted to be like her. And, from that I got a degree in Missions. I love you LInsey and you have forever changed my life!!!!!

                                               Kayla Perez (Meckes)

 I met Kayla when I was in the 9th grade. Her brother at the time was "hottie" of the school hahaha and thats how I knew of her. haha! But as soon as we joined Frontline together, I knew this girl was gonna be my bestie!!! It didn't take long until we began to form a friendship. We played basketball togther as well and we were "bus buddies"... We also sat at the end of the bench together for like 3 years in Basketball! (a little embarrassing yes) But when I went to Mexico with the Perez family, we really formed a bond. We shared our lives and secrets with each other and we had SOOO many laughs together. This is what I love about Kayla, we LAUGH, LAUGH, and LAUGH some more. It's amazing!!!

 Some memories of Kay and I... oh gosh... stinking worse than a man after our bball games and still not showering, air soft gun wars, loooong talks, farting (haha), eating chilli dogs, waynes dates, SHOPPING addicts together, singing frontline together, mom and daughter dates, telling her "NO" to everyboy she brought home, our weddings, and sooo many more... My senior year was a hard year... because I knew I had to graduate and leave her behind...it was time to move to college and I couldn't imagine leaving seeing her everyday and being involved in everything together. BUT Kayla and I can keep our friendship going from ANYWHERE.. (now overseas) and thats so special to me. She and I have been through so much together that I really feel like she is my sister. Our families are practically one family and I wouldn't want it any other way. What I love about Kayla is her independant spirit. She is not afraid of ANYTHING.. She will take on anything and anyone with no fear. She is such a talented woman as well with her Music.

  Kayla was with me every step of the way for the wedding, the bridezilla moments, the fun moments, the "tieing bows" nights... everything. I am sad to say that for her wedding, I wasn't able to be there every step...living overseas made that difficult! but I was able to be there for the special day. What has she taught me??? Kayla has taught me to take on ADVENTURE. She is always up for anything and has such a fun spirit.. and this is what I admire and aspire to be like. She is amazing... I am soooo glad that I was able to be with her the day she got married... It was so special and I couldn't have imagined being over here in Germany on that day!!! I LOVE YOU kayla denise!!!!!

                                        Elizabeth Shahan

 OH lizabeth..... I met liz when I was a little girl, but we didn't come back in contact and begin a friendship until I was a sophmore in High School. And I am soooo thankful for Lawton First Assembly bringing us together again!! The very first night I met liz, she invited me over to her house for a sleepover! haha!! It's so funny because I knew from the second I met her that my answer was HECK YES!! :) We were insepereable after that Wed night at the Mix!! Liz and I worked at the YMCA together as swim teachers where we had MANY hilarious encounters... and scary ones! We spent every day working, tanning, working, eating.. that was our schedule for the summer. :) We went through good times and hard times with each other and we helped each other through ALL of those times.. laughing, tears, making music videos, just being SISTERS.

In High School, we got the chance to go to Haiti together. We became ever closer on this trip.. we slept outside on the porch, loved on the kids, and shared our lives with each other! She has been SUCH an influence on my life.. as well as her entire family. She has such a giving, and passionate heart for everything she lays her hands on. She is going to make a HUGE difference in the lives of woman all around this world. I see her being an ispirational speaker like Beth Moore because she has the ability to make you excited and passionate about life. What has she taught me?? To be sooo in love with the Lord that you CAN NOT go a second without being in touch with Him. She is SOO very passionate about her love for Christ, and it shines through her every day. She is always on the front row of church literally dancing during worship because she is SO full of the Lord. I admire this about her, and I hope that everyday I can be that full of love for the Lord!!

                                                Vanessa Siler

 Vanessa and I became great friends our Junior year is High School... sooo sad that we weren't friends before that because I love her soooo much!!! Once we met, and began our frienship, we were always together! We spent everyday in the summers tanning, talking, laughing, crying, going out to eat, working at YMCA together, going through break-ups together, sleepovers, talking until 4 am, helping and encouraging one another.. and the list could go on and on. Vanessa is soo just BEAUTIFUL. When you see Ness, you see the classiest woman on earth. She is so beautiful on the inside and out. And she is soft and kind.



 We got to go through sooo many fun times together!! When we went our separate ways to college, I had fun coming to visit her, and she made trips to my basketball games, and it was so nice how even in the business of our lives, we still could find time for each other. And the breaks from school were always my fav because I knew I would FINALLY get to see my ness. And she was able to be a part of my wedding and stand next to be as well. AND in December of this year I will be standing next to her as she gets married as well!! It seems like I have known this amazing girl for my whole life, but in reality it has only been 5 years. What has she taught me?? TO be a woman of a gentle spirit like 1 Peter 3 tells us. This verse describes Vanessa to the T. She is so gentle, loving, and kind.. and I being a loud and at times annoying person, have a lot to learn from her. I love you NEss!!

 and lastly....

                                               Gabby Walk

 Gabbs!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a miracle that she came into my life my Senior year. She was coming to AMerica from Aussie land to play basketball and she was going to my high school. The week before she came, the school told us she needed a host family, and so well... what the heck why not! We said yes, and oh did the journey begin!! While sharing a room, it didnt take long for Gabby and I to become nothing less than sisters. We were glued to the other like twins... we had the time of our lives.. and to this day I love her more than I can even write!! We had so many good times... staying up all night dancing the step up dance, laying in bed laughing EVERY night until pops yelled at us, bball roadtrips, family trips, bossing Trent around every second, eating and eating, stealing each others clothes, failing math together, watching movies while sharing the same tiny seat, fighting and more fighting (funny fights not real ones), Bible study, our senior class trip to LA, moving to college, saying our goodbyes, traveling home together from college, seeing her move back to aussie land, being in DEPRESSION from her being gone, visiting her in aussie land, I could type for hours... she is amazing.

She is soo funny, like prob one of the funniest people I have ever met in my life.. Gabby can make me laugh like no one else can... mostly because she is ALWAYS crackin jokes on me.. and she is an amazing athlete. I love watching her play ball and use the talent God gave her. Most of all, I love having fun with Gabby. We are now living in totally diff countries.. and its so hard and sad, but we will be sisters for life. She was able to make it to my wedding and be next to me as my Maid of Honor.. she flew in the day before my wedding, and left the day after... FROM AUSTRALIA! Now thats some family love right there... it was such a sacrifice for her and I am sooo happy that she made it that day. What has Gabby taught me?? To be strong, no matter what. She has some much strength through whatever life throws at her. She is very independant and soooo strong. I am lacking in both of those areas at times, and Gabby really taught me how to be more like that.

I love you sooo much Gabby girl and I miss you!! You will always be my sissy!!!

 Okay, so that was a LONG journey, but because of these girls in my life.. I have learned sooo much and grown into who I am now. I love them all sooo much and pray that God continues our friendships for a lifetime.... I am glad we were able to "Raise Each Other." Love you all!!