On The Topic Of Best Friends

So I've read a lot of blogs talking about best friends and good friends and family and all that good sort of stuff. Tonight as I sit here working I thought about who I would consider to be my best friend right now.

I guess it all started when I first decided to move back to Arizona from my beloved Provo. I didn't want to move and leave all of my friends up in Utah, but I thought (and strongly felt) that it was what I should do. I moved in with my sister, Rachel, who was quite pregnant at that time, and her husband, Dave. It was a little awkward at first, living in someone else's house again...using their shower and tv and kitchen. I don't really like to 'mooch' but I didn't have a whole lot to do. I was still living there when my darling niece was born, and I lived there for a few weeks after. Then I moved in with my oldest sister, Jeni. We have a great time together, when we actually see each other, but that is pretty rare. I guess it's funny to look back to when I moved back and realize how I really didn't know either of my sisters very well. They are a number of years older than I am, and we never were really friends until I moved here.

6 years ago...

A few months ago...

Rachel, I would say, is my best friend. We pretty much do a ton of stuff together. We've had a lot of good times, and I've become very attached :) haha. I guess it's funny to think that I never really was very close with her during the 15 years that we lived together, but in less than a year we have become so close. We definitely have fun and drive Dave crazy, but it's all in good fun! I love being with her and Leila (her daughter) and it's so fun to watch both grow together and see how Leila is getting so big and watching her learn to sit by herself, to eat real food, to get her ears pierced. It's all pretty crazy. I have to say, now that I'm leaving on my mission, it'll be weird not to see Rachel every week, not to clean her house and play in the kiddy pool with her and Leila, and not to text her almost every day with questions or just to hang out. I don't really think I've ever had a friend that I felt completely 100% comfortable talking to or calling just to hang out with or even cry in front of (not a normal occurrence, but it has happened). I'm definitely grateful for that, and I've learned a lot from the relationship that we have. It'll be weird being gone.

Here is Leila (the CUTEST niece in the WHOLE WORLD!):

One week old...ish.

8 Months old! :) 

Isn't she just so ADORABLE and she's getting so BIG!!! Love her!