just for tanya

about a month ago now, i called tanya for her birthday. we met freshmen year of college, in the dorms, although thanks to a psycho roommate we didn't become real friends until the next year. we were roommates through junior year when we both went on missions (her to taiwan and me to sweden). after our missions, tanya lived in her family's condo and i kept jumping apartments til i graduated, but we still hung out.

now tanya lives in minnesota, and i'm in alaska. yet no matter how much time goes between our conversations, we talk like it was just yesterday we were walking all over provo late at night, jumping in puddles and laughing at the paperclip our roommate glued in the thermostat to stop me from turning it down. we talked for two hours the other night like it was nothing.

amazingly, it's been over 10 years we've been friends now. sometimes i think tanya made sure we did out of pure stubborness, because i've always been slow at making friends and most of my friendships seemed to have a 2 year expiration date. she sure showed me ;)

and on her birthday, the only thing she asked for was pictures of my door. so i figured if i was gonna do it, i'd do it right. the door is made of thick boards, with old school hingeswith a lift latch (the inside door has the lock)the crossbeams have studded bolts in them, so they have this castle fortress look about them. unfortunately the stain at the bottom is bleaching out. but that's the door. like it tanya?the sky was beautiful when i was taking the door pictures, so i grabbed a shot for the hope of spring.

tanya almost always calls me out for not taking pics of myself. every time she asks, i'm struck dumb with astonishment, thinking, i swear i took a picture. . . . . . . .as i think back and realize, no, i didn't. i never remember to. she knows what i look like, i know what i look like, it's the same no matter where i am. but since she asked, here's a shot of me (and chuck) from a painful church activitywe're still not sure what the point was, but we were "royalty" for the night. complete with scary outfits and gilt crowns. and that blonde wig. they pulled our names out of a hat for the privelege. at least it was only an hour.

happy birthday tanya. enjoy the pictures :D