Picking Up Where We Left Off

My wonderful friend Juston came to visit on Thursday. He was in town for his brother's wedding and stayed at my place. It was so great to catch up, laugh till our faces hurt, and just hang out like old times.

I am constantly reminded of what a lucky person I am through the relationships I keep. I have been so very blessed with wonderful friends who add so much color to my life. Where would we be without our friends? On Saturday night, Juston and I pulled out the old CHS yearbooks and laughed over old pictures of ourselves and friends. We read all the funny things people wrote in my yearbook and shared information with one another that we had on the whereabouts of old friends whom we've lost touch with.

Juston is one of my oldest friends. We're "decade" friends as we like to joke, although we've known each other for about 15 years. I met him when I was a sophomore and he was a junior in high school, and we have been close ever since. Our friendship has endured so many things that has made us the friends we are today. We've laughed together and cried together (but luckily have laughed more than cried) and traveled to New York to see our first Broadway show together, Washington D.C. to see our country's history together, and to Hawaii for the first time together. Juston met my mother when he was in 5th grade as she was doing her student teaching at his school and had him for a few subjects. He loved my mom and has called her on every Mother's Day since high school. Juston even escorted my mother down the isle at my wedding since my father would be walking me.

Juston and I have stayed in contact no matter the distance between us. I remember sitting at work one day on campus during my college years when my dorm roommate called me on the phone and said that someone from Brazil named Juston had just called looking for me and that he'd be calling back in ten minutes given that my roommate told him that's how much time I'd need to get back to my dorm.

I quickly told my boss that I needed to take about a 30 minute break and that I was expecting a call from Brazil. She let me run back to my dorm and sure enough, the phone rang and Juston was on the other line. He was currently serving his mission and although he wasn't supposed to actually make phone calls to friends and family, he had found this public phone in a little city and thought to himself "I wonder if I can dial the states?"

Well, it worked! FREE OF CHARGE. And thus began our weekly (sometimes more frequent than that) international phone calls on NOBODY's dime :) We still joke about that to this day.

I took Juston back to the airport on Monday and just as I was getting ready to exit onto the freeway my phone rang and Juston said "Can you come pick me up?" So I did. He decided to "miss his flight" and fly out the next day instead. He said he just wasn't ready to leave yet. It was free for him to "miss his flight" so he did and we were lucky enough to spend another day laughing and hanging out.

I took Juston back to the airport yesterday and bid him goodbye for real this time. No missing of the flights was to be had as Juston had to work today. Although I was sad to see him go home, I'm so thankful for the 5 days we did get to spend together. I don't know when I'll see him again, but I know that when I do, we'll pick up right where we left off. Because that's how we are. Because that's what "decade" and lifelong friends do. And I'm so lucky to have those type of friends in my life :)