Really Great Friends

Once upon a time, I met this great girl who became one of my best friends. Growing up, we were always in the same stake, but not in the same ward or at the same schools, so I really had no idea who she was (except that I'd heard the last name "Bushman" in the stake before). Then one day, I was at Gifted Education Midland school (I went to this school two days a week) and I met Dionna Bushman in my class. We found out that we were both members of the church. After going home and talking to our respective parents, we found out that we were related! We felt so cool being able to tell our friends in the class that we were 3rd cousins once removed, but nobody really believed us. After all, what average fourth grader knows crazy things like the distant relationship you have to your classmate? After that fourth grade year we started going to GEM on different days of the week, so I didn't see her at school any more.

Then in ninth grade when I started attending Seminary in the mornings, I met with the other two wards in Midland, so Dionna and I were again brought into each others' lives. I remember thinking that she was quite the person, and that she was a lot of fun. However, since it had been such a long time since fourth grade and since we went to different high schools, I didn't interact much with her besides the occasional chat in Seminary.

Part way through my sophomore year, the wards were realligned and Dionna's family came into the Midland 3rd Ward with us. Dionna's dad was our new bishop, and poor Dionna was one of the very few Young Women to move over to the new ward (old ward + new boundaries = a brand new ward, after all). I can't imagine being in her situation! After 16 years of being in one ward and having friends there, being isolated and moving to a new ward must have been really tough. Again, I noticed her great personality and willingness to be enthusiastic at YW events despite these "unfair disadvantages."

Soon, the three of us girls (Randee, Audrey, and I) my age who had already been in the ward together 'adopted' Dionna as our own. And boy, let me tell you what a great friend Dionna became! She moved into the ward right before my dad passed away, and it was wonderful having a kind friend like her to lean on. In Seminary we usually sat next to each other. I admit, sometimes we talked a little too much in class, but it was really fun having a spiritual person like her next to me.

Now, we're both at BYU, we both have our parents on missions, we both have a sister on a mission, we are both the youngest of 8 kids, and we both have All Sports Passes together! We got all painted up in celebration of Homecoming a few weeks ago.

Before the game when we were still excited.

Kind of scary, I know.

By this point we were losing terribly, it was getting chilly, and a lot of fans had already left. However, we were happy because we didn't have annoying "fans" behind us anymore!!

I am so thankful for this girl! What a blessing to have her in my life now and forever!