roommates...

A couple weeks ago another girl moved into my apartment with my friend Angela and I. Her name is Diana and she fits right in. She's layed back, easy going, likes to work out and likes to have fun and laugh! After living by myself for a few seasons in the last several years, I LOVE having roommates! I grew up with friends and people always coming over so community has always played a huge role in my family. Living alone served it's purpose, but it was like a daily struggle with my social-side to not get too depressed :). I suppose that's what drew me to my church now. It's so much more than attending a 'service' on Sunday or Wednesday, but it's close family and friends that whether you see them often or not are community and you know love you!

Well last night I got home from work and Diana and I helped motivate each other to go work out. Though we did it in seperate places, we did both do it!!! When I got back home we sat and talked for the next hour about life. You know, those thought processes, decisions and just things you have noticed throughout life. From grocery shopping to clothes to cooking... we covered alot in that short hour! Diana is much like I am in the fact that it's not so much that I really hate grocery shopping, I just hate how much money and time it can consume! I remember making the decision to change my bad 'college' attitude and habit and at least grocery shop 2x's a month! I know, that's still quite sad, but I make a list, plan accordingly and for one person it really is fine.

We then were talking about our apartment and I can specifically remember when I decided it's time to make wherever I live a 'home'...not a temporary situation. That I would quit waiting for the 'one day' to make where I live feel like home. It doesn't have to be about money, but about making an atmostphere that welcomes others. Really putting the effort into it! Now one of my biggest pet peeves about the American culture is that most events are centered around food being the 'big event'. Food serves a purpose and we need it and can enjoy it, but I think it has become way too much of a 'make me feel happy and better about life' object in our lives, instead of putting the focus on people and getting out and enjoying the world! That's my two cents. But living in that culture having food in the fridge when people come over is something I always thought my mother did really great. She could throw together a great dip/salsa, whatever, in a minute! And our home was always open to anyone passing by to stop in, hang out or talk till the wee hours of the night! That's the home I want to have!

But as our conversation went on, we started talking about being girls and the different perceptions we carried growing about ourselves. Any girl can understand what I'm talking out here. Thinking your fat or too this or not enough that. I stopped growing when I was in 6th grade and I was a head taller than any other friend of mine so I always just felt big. Into Jr. High I still had that understanding, though everyone was catching up with me. Then it went to weight. I usually weighed 10-15 lbs heavier than all my friends (which I continually tell myself has to be my muscle ratio :) and though we wore the same size, I converted that weight in my mind to 'I am bigger'. Now looking back at pictures from my senior year I can't believe I thought that. Into my years at CFNI I had a friend who I thought dressed so great and I always wanted to borrow her clothes, thinking we were exactly the same size. I finally asked to borrow something and she informed me that she was about 3 sizes bigger than me! It blew my mind because I saw us being exactly the same size!

Then there are those unspoken agreements and decisions you make that you never speak out, and rarely realize that you've made them. Like, I will never do that, or be like that, or I will always do this or whatever. Like in college deciding that you would not wear make up at all, but would always look perfectly together without looking like you were trying! ha! Or as I've heard many a girl say, 'my heart was broken and I won't open it up again!' There are so many of those and as Diana and I talked over so many we were dying laughing before we knew it!

Summary... I love my roommates! I love to laugh! I love to have deep convo at all hours of the day! I love to know that I can count on them to pray for me when and if I need it! I love that they sharpen me with the way they live their lives! I am blessed!