I have the best friends in the world.

It takes awhile to find great friends. Growing up is hard. I remember wishing I had friends like my older sister did while I was growing up. They were the very best friends. When I was still in middle school they would come back from a trip to Steak n' Shake or going to the movies and I would listen to them laughing across the house. I wanted friends as fun as those girls.

Life is filled with change and transitions so it makes sense that your friends change in middle school and you switch groups in High School and then everyone leaves for college. My best friends in Delphi were all a year younger than me. Most of my High School memories are filled with youth group adventures with Hali, Lydia, Carrie and Tara. But I went off to Hope and I lost touch with those girls after a couple years.

People surprise you by how different they can be, priorities may change, families move away and you constantly meet new people.  Conversations with my campers and Young Life girls about how they wish they had different friends or friends that encouraged them have become a common theme. It's not always that their current friends are horrible but they're just not great. And who wants to settle for average?

But what I've learned, and what I'm still learning, is that over time you will come across truly great friends. You will find people that inspire you, that pray for you, that go on adventures with you, the tell you the truth even when it's difficult, that call you up in the middle of the night, that show up when it's important, that celebrate like it's their own success, that cry with you, that can make you laugh until you cry. And when you find those people that are different than the rest you've got to hold onto those friends.

Finding the great friends is worth the wait. This weekend was filled with so many of those people.

Molly Brunner and I went to dinner at Puccini's on Friday. She has just returned from IU and I just smile the whole time I'm with her. Since I met her as a little Warrior years ago she has been a source of light and energy. Molls isn't afraid to be vulnerable, she is so good at being present with people, and she puts her whole heart into everything she does.

I woke up Saturday morning to the sound of people moving around the kitchen. Cameron and Colleen were cooking away, making a breakfast feast for Emel, Farley and I. We sat around the table talking about Jimmy's Christmas sale, plans for the weekend, and the glories of Pinterest. I'm so glad I live with these people and that it feels like home.

My parents came into town to eat lunch with my Uncle Mike and Aunt Linda and I got to join the Cracker Barrel party. I have the best parents. I'm so thankful that they love me well, care about my friends, support Young Life, tell me I'm doing important things when I work at camp and help me however they can. I'm excited to be home for Christmas break.

Saturday was the 4th Annual Counselor Reunion Lunch at Paradise-- we gather all of the resident counselors in Indy that are free. When this began I was a Senior at Hope and it was so exciting to see all of these friends I'd barely seen since August. Now I see these people on a regular basis but it's still a celebration to gather. We pull tables together and settle in for a long lunch of Diet Coke re-fills, questions around the table about what we've been up to and what's coming next for each of us. This year we talked about new jobs, an engagement, a big move, a trip to Brazil, and a new nephew.

Sarah Briggs and new boyfriend Ben drove down from Chicago to spend the rest of the day with MaryEllen and I. Sarah is someone who understands how important it is to show up, to find the time to be in someone's life even from far away. She spent eight hours in the car to spend eight hours with us--that's commitment. There are some friends that just get you, they know what makes you tick and what's difficult for you and what you need to hear or what you don't need to hear. Sar is one of those friends.

We drank smoothies, sang along to the best of TSwift and country, car danced, went to Bazbeaux on Mass Ave for dinner, people watched, put Ben in the hot seat for questions, made a pilgrimage to Orange Leaf to rendezvous with Hannah, Michelle, and the Vanasten brothers, and through it all just soaked in being together. It's still so strange to think that she doesn't live here or carpool with me everywhere or yell, "Hi Sar!" when I get home from school or sleep on the other side of the wall. I miss all of that a lot. But Sar is going to be one of those friends that I'm friends with forever, that wants to know what's going on in my life because it matters to her, that shows up on weekends like this when its important.

I love that when I go to Common Ground on Sunday morning I know that I'm not going to be alone. I walk down the far left aisle up to the front seats. I spot Tom's red coat and the back of Jack's head from far away because they're both so tall and know that friends are already here. MaryEllen slides over to give me a seat and I move into the row with Young Life related people all around. These families and friends are such a central part of my world these days it's hard to remember a time before I knew all of them.

"Want to run Christmas errands with me?" I asked Taylor Porter after church. She met up with me half an hour later, two large McDonald's Diet Cokes in styrofoam cups in hand. Taylor is so good of thinking of others in the little details and the big picture. We walked around Bed, Bath & Beyond--that place is just filled with stuff. Walls and piles and shelves and racks of stuff. Taylor and I settled down in the pillow aisle for a heart to heart. There are few other people that would just plop down in the corner of a store like this to tell me about what's on her heart as employees and customers wander by with double takes and, "You girls look like you're having fun," comments.

This must have item made us stop in our tracks. I took a picture-taking hiatus all weekend long but had to pull it out to capture this life changing product. This poor little girl had such a rough life before but now look how happy she is with the Hair Bean.

I got to Skype with Ellie Pearl and Maggie for a hot minute in the midst of a crafting frenzy. They are still such little girls but already living lives they're proud of-- taking care of their friends, appreciating this gift of life with every adventure and conversation and friendship. They're the kind of friends you hold onto.

Rach proposed a shopping adventure with Emily and I couldn't say no with that whole Rule #4 thing that's been ingrained in my brain. Rach and I got matching vests that remind me a bit of a baby bunny and J. Crew had far too  many things we fell in love with. With our Christmas shopping already finished it was more of a selfish venture but now we'll look real cute over break.

Chick Flick Sunday featured The Help with a special guest appearance by Maddie Mahoney. I finished my Santa hat for Wednesday, started an earthquake bracelet, and made cinnamon rolls. Coll worked in the laundry sweatshop and Emel caught up on the blogosphere. This has become one of my favorite weekly traditions and I'm going to miss it in the next couple of weeks. Aibileen is so wise, "You is kind, you is smart, you is important." If you haven't seen this movie or read the book you should work on that.

Taylor and I were talking this afternoon about how much we hate the commercial hype of Christmas. We feel like we're caught in the midst of buying and shopping and buying stuff just to have a pile of gifts to give away. But more than gift cards to Starbucks I love getting Christmas letters from my students. Rather than a gift picked out in a rush I love to get handmade presents from my camp girls. Not gonna lie, I'm really excited to open my new Sperrys on Christmas but I'm more excited to play 5 Crows with my family and hold baby Lincoln.

Spending time with people is what really matters. Showing up. Asking important questions. Staying in touch however you can. Friendship, real lasting friendship, is about that. I'm so glad I've got the best friends in the world to spend all this time with.