my best friend gets married 1 week from today.

i've been doing little wedding-themed posts

in honor of my best friend's upcoming wedding.

i'd like to share some memories

because our friendship is pretty special to me,

in case you couldn't tell.

and in the spirit of this top 10-ness,

why not do my top 10 favorite kaitlyn memories?

{in chronological order}

1. Lucy and the Sky with Diamonds + June Carter

Kaitlyn and I met our freshman year in college (it sounds like I'm telling a "how I met my husband story"). We had a Spanish class together and would occasionally facebook each other for missed homework assignments (neither of us were ever especially great at going to class...which ended up being extremely dangerous/really fun for us as future roommates). The summer after my freshman year, Kaitlyn was working with my cousin at a summer camp and heard that I had been hospitalized in Mexico after an accident that had occurred during my internship there. She contacted me to tell me she was praying for me and hoped I was okay. For some reason, we messaged each other fairly consistently after that and started hanging out after we came back to school for our sophomore year. We spent Halloween together; her as June Carter Cash and me as Lucy in Sky with Diamonds. We got dressed up and then realized we didn't have anywhere to go. Yup. These kinds of things happened to us a lot.

2. Moving into 513 Gray Street

Some of the best memories in college/my-life-to-date happened in the house we shared on 513 Gray Street. I loved that house so much. I loved decorating it, sharing a room, staying up late talking & watching movies, staying up all night during finals week, making midnight runs to Sonic, etc., etc. I could actually list 100 things I miss about being her roommate at this house. The house was teeny tiny and so old and just adorable. It was within walking distance to campus and it was really the best house we could have asked for. Sigh.

3. Roommate Trips

If one of us went home on the weekends (her to Fayetteville, AK and me to Norman, OK), we'd always bring the other one along. It made the driving much more enjoyable and since we'd get separation anxiety if we were apart from each other for longer than 30 minutes, these trips were more than necessary.

4. Travel partners

The first big trip we took together (to Europe!) was very memorable. Neither of us had any idea how to navigate our way from country to country and, looking back - knowing what I know now - I often wonder how we made it home alive. Let it be a testament to how many hours my mother spends in fervent prayer for my safety.

5. Two words: Stella girl

Stella girl was Kaitlyn's puppy -- a miniature Schnauzer with more personality than me and Kaitlyn combined.  She was sooooooooooo cute and soooooooo crazy.  I always joke (is it a joke?) that I miss her more than Kaitlyn.

6. Starting a business together

A month after I returned from Europe and just a few weeks after Stella girl came into our lives, we started a very small (albeit very successful!) vintage clothing business, which I'm proud to stay is still alive and well. I owe her a lot for letting me be the bossy one/decision maker and because of her tolerance and patience with me, I'd say this little endeavor only made us closer.

7. Valentine's Day 2008

Well, let's just say that I got very sick on this night, only to find out that the toilet would not flush. I'm not sure why I feel okay sharing this with the world wide web, but I know Kaitlyn will laugh hysterically when she reads it. I came out of the bathroom and said, "Um, Kaitlyn? Will you help me with something?". After we tried flushing the toilet, plunging the toilet, pulling on the chain, etc., we realized this was a job for a plumber and not 2 young girls. The only problem was it was 8:00 pm on a Thursday night and we were leaving early the next morning to go to Arkansas for a long weekend. We knew we couldn't ignore this predicament for the duration of the 3 day weekend....so..... we (this is the part I can't believe I am typing right now) used a ladle and a plastic container to transport the vomit in the toilet from the bathroom into the backyard. We were both so disgusted/laughing so hysterically that we had tears streaming down our faces. I think at the end of the night it was Kaitlyn who looked at me and said, "I can't believe that's how I just spent my Valentine's Day." I mean, that's a true friend, am I right? Oh and we obviously threw that ladle and container away.

8. Dance parties

We hosted some of the best dance parties at 513 Gray Street. Our parties varied from being open and inclusive to incredibly exclusive (meaning 4-6 people). For instance, one time we had a Halloween party a week after Halloween, which 5 people attended. I had been in the hospital the day before Halloween and Kaitlyn, knowing how much I had wanted to dress up & celebrate, suggested that we host a little Halloween gathering the next weekend. This ended up being one of my favorite parties I've ever been to, let alone hosted.

9. Jimmy

Speaking of that Halloween party....here I am as Edie Sedgwick, with our friend Jimmy as Bob Dylan. There's Kaitlyn on the right, as a flapper. Jimmy came to our university from Arkansas through a semester exchange program and became something like a 3rd roommate. We saw him every night. Between his love for Stella girl, his hilarious Jimmy Stewart impressions and his culinary superpowers, he made our lives really, really special (not to mention super dramatic, at times). I loved the 3 of us.

10. Our going away party

Kaitlyn decided to transfer to the U of A to be closer to her family and I decided to move to Salzburg. These decisions would end up being arguably the best decisions we've ever made, as her decision led her to meeting her future husband and mine led me to Salzburg, which changed my life forever. We had a going away party for ourselves (yeah, we're those kinds of people) the last night of finals' week. I loved this night so much; it was really bittersweet. Moving out of 513 Gray Street was so tough. I remember sitting on the bed and crying, saying to Kaitlyn, "I know I'm going to love Salzburg but I've loved my life here so much with you". She really made my college life so wonderful. I mean, I truly loved college SO much because of her (and Stella girl, too - who are we kidding?). I hate to imagine how that time of my life would have played out had she not been a part of it. I can tell this girl anything with 100% confidence that she will love me regardless.

I love my life now and know that she really loves her life now (she's about to get married, after all) but I think our lives back then weren't so bad either. :)