My Friend Jimmy

Last weekend, a very near and dear friend came in town.  It was nice because it had been, oh...maybe 6 years since I had seen him last?  Well anyways....we got reconnected and we had been talking for a few months now.  Because he has known me for so long, it was very comfortable talking and showing him what fun you could have in our city.  We might be in Indiana, but I know a few spots worth seeing!

He arrived about 6pm to which it was mass chaos at my household.  I got greeted with the biggest Jimmy Hurly hug I could have ever received!  It was awesome.  He comes from a big Catholic family so needless to say, he fit right in with the madness.  He sat down, hugged my mom and was good ole Jimmy.  Then we went out for dinner and drinks.  We had fantastic conversation and we caught up on Rugby, old friends and now what they were doing with their lives, and it was so very nice.  We both were open to conversation and neither one of us really held back on topics.  We talked about some stuff that affected us and molded us into the persons we are today, faith, family, jobs, and over all just a little bit of everything.  Which, I think we are pretty cool people personally, BUT I may be a little biased...

Upon being old and tired, we both decided at 11:30pm to call it a night.  So we walked back to my car and I literally tossed him my iPod.  "Here Mr. DJ...."  We listen to similar music so I knew that wasn't going to be a problem.  We listened (and sang) to a plethora of post grunge, pop, and some humorous little numbers.  As we pulled into my driveway, we concluded our journey with a familiar song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg.  It was full of dramatic arm motions, full out belting, and emotion.  There is just nothing that Backstreet Boys can't fix, let me tell you!

So as we were getting ready to go to bed Jimmy comes upon his sleeping arrangement.  You see, he  sleeps on very firm bed.  When he sat down on mine, he sunk.  "I CAN'T SLEEP ON THIS!!!  IT'S LIKE A TRAMPOLINE!!!" (extreme laughter followed) I just walked away shaking my head.  We both had to wake up early not only to get him on the road to his Rugby Camp but to go to Church as well.  6:30am came really quickly around and yet we both were ready and there on time.

It is these types of friendships I just love and cherish.  There is just us being friends.  Nothing sexual.  Nothing controversial.  Nothing but pure friends being there for one another.  We could be the dorks we were with absolutely no judgement.  We could talk about whatever because we knew the other wasn't going to chastise or belittle the other for our mistakes.  It was simply the most refreshing Saturday night I have had in a very long time.

One thing our friendship has taught me is that you HAVE to be yourself, shamelessly.  Those who get it....well, they get it and those who don't, obviously....well, don't.  You shouldn't have to explain yourself.   I think what makes this friendship a special one is that we bond on several notes.  We are like minded and being same faith and background, we share a similar foundation.  We share common interest in sports and activities.  We are able to laugh and commiserate over poor relationships and share moments of frustrations.

We allow each other bragging rights with his nieces and nephews.  We equally encourage and help build each other up and isn't that what a friend does?

Finding friendships as such just makes me appreciate them so much more as they are few and far between.  To find such souls....it is so very refreshing and I am forever grateful!  Friends such as Jimmy have a special place in my heart.

Do you have friends that you share such a bond with?  Care to share?  Please comment on our Facebook page or tweet us....we would love to hear about them!
<3 Catie

Thoughts on Friendship

I'm not the type of person that takes a friendship lightly; I'm fiercely loyal to my friends. However, there comes a point in all new friendships were you must decide: will we remain friends for the foreseeable future or will our friendship crumble? Friendships that last have all come to the same conclusion: we can not change the other person. That annoying thing they do? Chances are, it isn't going away. So, whether we are in a new friendship or relationship, we must ask ourselves am I still getting all that I need from this friendship even with these annoyances? If the answer is no, then sadly you need to walk away from that friendship. If the answer is yes, then you need to accept the annoyances and move on. I have certain friends in my life who each serve a specific function. Like a Swiss Army Knife, each one, being created by God, is suited for different situations. I have my friend who is incredibly grounded in God's word, I have a friend who is incredibly optimistic, I have my friend who is easy going, yet can see me through anxiety, and I have a friend who is incredibly passionate about all things. I don't always take everything to all of them. There are certain topics that I don't take to certain people. There are certain things that just stay with me. I may get frustrated when my optimistic friend doesn't think critically enough about a decision I'm trying to make. But I have to remind myself that in doing so, I'm asking her to be fundamentally different from who she is. I love the movie The Sound of Music. In the film, Max is trying to convince Captain Von Trap to perform at the festival. Realizing he can't convince the Captain, Max seeks out Maria's help to which she responds, "Max I can not ask him to be less than he is". If our friend is too _____ (fill in with any negative or positive quality you wish) and you ask them to change, in a sense you are asking them to be less of who they are. There is a reason why friends walk in and out of our lives and it has to do with our being able, or in some cases when friendships don't last,unable, to look past their faults. It is unreasonable to place expectations onto our friends to be someone or something that they are not. So, if a friendship or relationship has you down, I say it's time to figure out if the friendship is worth it. If it is, try to celebrate each other more. If it isn't, part ways wishing each other the very best.

Blues Be Gone, Baby!

This winter my dear friends has seemed never ending.  Classes and schools cancelled for periods of time seem as though it is a norm.  What a winter this has been!  I don't know about you, but I am over this whole "Polar Vortex" thing.  So much so this was even my Facebook Status:

As found on my Facebook Page...yes the comments add to the hilarity of it all too...

Winter blues hit a little harder than usual the past few months.  I was kind of needing a little pick me up, if you will, so I accidentally thought outside the box and it actually worked.  Blues be gone, baby!

Being that I am a social individual, I sought the help from a friend.  My friend Rachel and I take ourselves very seriously...more times than not.  We decided to make a visit to the mall to promote exercise of our legs and mouths.  We walked for a good 2-1/2 hours.  We ate an Auntie Anne's pretzel.  We continued to walk until we stepped into Claire's Boutique.  That my friends is where we got lost in goofiness, headbands, and One Direction memorabilia.

Being that we both were in the market for new headbands (a girl can NEVER have enough especially of the kind that is comfortable).  We were looking on the racks and trying a plethora of items on our heads.  Some looked amazing others not so much.  Then we realized, they are having a buy one get one 1/2 off on earrings!  Another awesome item a girl could always use.  We checked out the clearance rack...deals almost too good to be true.  Some of the pairs made us laugh and others a little confused.  The end result put a slight dent in our pocket as well as increased our style points I must confess.

We ended up with a wide array for ourselves.  Check out these beauties:

http://www.claires.com/store/us/goods/jewelry/cat1260130/drops/p14226/jumbo+donut+drop+earrings/

I couldn't stop laughing.  Rachel couldn't stop laughing.  We literally laughed until we cried.  We decided that her sister definitely couldn't live with out these.  Might as well make her laugh as well!

Upon paying, we sat and chatted for about a 1/2 an hour more until we realized we definitely shut the mall down.  Who would have thought that the mall could be the place for such laughter and lifting us up and out of our winter blues!  It was just what we needed.


Catie's Bucket List:
#25 Be a "Mall Rat"

Checked it off the list...word.  Never underestimate the power of a true friendship.  You can go anywhere and make it fun and exciting.  Sometimes just spending quality time with your friends is enough to make those blues disappear.  Who would have thought?


Catie Manning
Hair Stylist