My Best Friend Ray.

Days like today remind me of Ray.  

It's the days that the world's large snow globe is all shook up and our neighborhood looks like a Winter Wonderland.  

Ray was my best friend.

But before he was my best friend, he was just the Grumpy Old Man Around The Corner.

Ray always yelled at my brothers.

He yelled at them when they played hackie sack on the street.

He yelled at them when they would skateboard.

He would yell at them when they would jump on the tramp.

Ray even yelled at my dogs.

One day, the power went out.

It was out for a long time.

Mom made me bring flashlights to Ray's house.

I really didn't want to.

Mom even invited Ray to dinner.  

I didn't like that idea at all.

On Sunday, Ray came for dinner and he didn't yell.

He told us stories about his horses.

Ray became my best friend that night.

I saw Ray every day.

On days that it would snow, like today, mom would send me over to shovel Ray's walkway.

I always grumbled, but I liked the way it made me feel.

Ray would hear me shoveling the walk and he would drive me to school.

Even though it was only a block away.

Since Ray passed away, it's days like this that I know he is looking down on me.

It is a sweet reminder of the friendship we had all those years ago.

I miss My Best Friend Ray.

Late Night Thoughts.

I've been attending UVU since 2011.  You'd think by 2013 I'd know exactly what I wanted to be. 

Welp. I don't.

2 years in and finishing my associates degree.

No sense of direction... sort of.

Anyways.
My point being, I'm attending school. 

I've been taking Fine Arts classes in hopes that I'll be more artistic.

Yeah right... SIGH.

I love it though.  I love the ART program.

I love the people, I love the style, I love the feel of it.

Everything just feels so lax and right.

Right now I'm in a Photo class.

I'm taking a black&white film class this semester.

I have a MAJOR crush on my married professor.

and I'm loving every second in the dark room.

I met Travis today.

Travis is the main Photo teacher at UVU.

In other words, he's got his ducks in a row!

His work is amazing and his patience level is unreal.

Travis came in and was talking to my Professor.

I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"You remember Christian don't you?"

BING.

You've caught by attention Travis.

"Yeah, the boy who got in a car accident right?"

Yep, you're definitely talking about my boy.

"Yeah him. I heard his friend was collecting letters from the program."

This is true, Eric got letters!!

"What'd he want letters for?"

I'm just standing there dumbfounded with their conversation.

staring straight at them.

"I guess to read to the kid."

"I hope he can get back in here soon enough."

"yeah me too, I miss that kid. Unique: He's very unique. Anyways, I'm off to Sanfrancisco...."

My ears were buzzing and my heart was pounding.

I don't know why I didn't jump at the opportunity to join their conversation.

To explain to them how Christian was doing.

How he would, in no time, be back in that very classroom to develop his own film.

To fill them in on the details of Chris' major recovery.
????

But I didn't.

I walked away.

I've thought about it all day. 

I've replayed their conversation.

I can visualize it to a T.

I just can't believe how many lives Christian has touched.

How many people have been affected.

How many people still care.

I just happened to be in the right place at the right time today.

But this simple eavesdropping proved something to me.

Everyday, at any given time, people are still talking about you.

You haven't left anybody's heart for a second.

Just think of how many unheard conversations there are of you.

I believe in you Chris.

Rik-A-Dik.

Rik-A-Dik.

muh baby girl!!!!!

This supa fly chick has a got a ring....on the ring finger.

nuff said peeps.

This little lady is tying the knot.

Look at that bling bling on her ring fing.

Done did is the purr-tiest ring I ever did see!
She's got a blinging ring, aaaaaaanndd a smokin' hot babe.

I'm quite fond of the two of them.

I look up to the both of them.

Couldn't be happier for 'em!!

Save the date peeps!

January 17, 2013.

P.S. Guys... I get to be a bridesmaid!!!!