Gift

I was in 8th grade. I had everything going for me. An awesome group of friends, family near by, a crush on a boy I was convinced liked me too, you know, all the excitement junior high had to offer. Life was pretty good. Until my parents dropped a huge bomb on me: dad got a new job in Albany, New York and we were moving. I, to say the least, was shocked. The only reason I knew where Albany was, was because we had to learn the states capitols in 5th grade and for some reason that one stuck. Why would they want to move there? There's no way Albany, New York could be better than Centerville, Utah. NO way.

It took a while for it to sink in that I really was moving there in a few short weeks. I was leaving the best friend a girl could ever ask for (and I mean that wholeheartedly, she's perfect in every stinkin' way). I couldn't leave, I just couldn't. My parents told me they were going out there to get my dad settled and look for a house and I was going to stay with said best friend while they were gone.

It was kind of exciting to have a sleepover with her every day. What teenage girl doesn't love sleep overs? This was going to be pretty cool. And it was! There's no one else I would've rather spent those few weeks with. But something happens when you spend too much time with a friend. You get on each others nerves--just a teensy bit (I still consider her my best friend, by the way, and always will). When I say you get on each others nerves, I mean, you notice little things about that person you hadn't really noticed before. Mostly because you're with them all the time. When she got on my nerves (and I'm sure it wasn't half as much as I got on hers), it was because she was so good at everything and I wasn't. And I really mean that. I couldn't find any real reason to get upset with her so I had to look for reasons. Anyway, my point is, when you're with a friend for an extended period of time, you're going to get on each others nerves- it's inevitable. You're going to need a little break once in a while, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Since I've been married, I've noticed something. I am with Chad...all the time. Every weekend, we're never away from each other. I can't get enough of him. Sure we have our moments here and there where we get on each others nerves, but that's going to happen. The thing is, I want to be with him all the time. We've spent one, maybe two, nights away from each other and it was absolute torture (for me, at least). I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to eat dinner because it wouldn't be with him. It's pretty apparent I'm kind of pathetic without him.

Marriage is pretty awesome. I still have my best friend, who will remain my best friend. And I will continue, throughout my life, to have other friends that mean so much to me. But I have my ultimate best friend by my side 100% of the time. I don't need to take a break from him. He's my companion through thick and thin. There's never a question in my mind we're meant to be together--forever. How cool is that? FOR-EV-ER.

Through the gospel, we're able to be sealed to our companion (and our future children!) for eternity. That's pretty special, don't you think?

I couldn't ask for a better gift.