A Tribute To My Dear Nicole

Well they are gone~ Chris and Nicole that is. They left yesterday and it was an extremely hard goodbye. They are both very important in my life and dear to my heart. I will miss being able to pick up my phone and call them whenever I want, hanging out with them, and having them at family events. But, I am so excited for what they are doing and their experience. I am beyond grateful that they are coming home for Christmas- Thanks Farleys!!

Chris if you read this I think it would be more appropriate for Brian to make a tribute to you :D

So here it goes... It might be a long one about our history and such so make sure you have about an hour :)

I know that Nicole and I were destined to be friends. There were so many ways we would have meet eventually.

Hidden Acres was the start of it all.

I randomly found a picture of my hula-hooping by the lake when I was about 12, low and behold there behind me with a sweet scunchie was Nicole.. How did I know?! Stellmaker written on the back of her shirt.

The history starts when we were in the same group of counselors at camp. I got a letter from Nicole and she asked what our favorite chracteristic of God was, I thought man this girl is deep- we can't be friends. haha. I had really just given my life up for Christ the summer before so I wasn't quite "deep" yet.

I was wrong about the not being friends part- we hit it off right away. Some of my favorite memories at HA.....

* The campout from hell- yes hell- brief story

The tent set up crew forgot to set up our tents. Nicole and I walked in the dark to where the tents were- got a ride with the tents and had to set them up... alone...no men to help us :D Laura Tanberg and Nicole's cousin Christine, Nicole and I had never really set up tents before and let alone in the dark. So, there ended up not being a tent for us. We actually only had 2 sleeping bags between us four- so yes we spooned. Oh yes and we heard the water trampoline very early in the morning and knew it probably meant the boys camping at the lake were jumping. It was crazy, but a great memory.

*The other campout from hell

Last night of camp, we were actually campers this time, we decided to sleep in the parking lot. Well, it rained and all of our blankets and mattresses got wet. SO, we ended up sleeping in one bed-just a wood cot- together with one blanket and pillow. Let's please never take our kids camping.

* All our talk about being sisters

We truly had a desire to be sister-in-laws. I remember talking about it quite a bit actually. We would discuss who we could marry, and never thought it would happen!I think we probably made God chuckle at thinking it wouldn't happen. What a great and mighty God we serve. Although we did think that I would marry her cousin at one point- we had never met though I just loved looking at his picture on their fridge- pathetic boy crazy highschooler was I.

Oh and I should mention that I met Chris before I met Brian and I liked him. Opps! He didn't like me in return and I then soon realized that I liked his brother :D Little did I know Chris would one day marry one of my best friends and be my brother.

Well I think this post will be continued because it's too long already.

We met-We went on campouts-Wanted to be sisters- And I thought her cousin was super cute........

To be continued