{sliver of light & roomies}

This week has likely been one of the most difficult of my life. Not necessary to share details, but it IS necessary to share that despite the difficulty, there have still been happy moments and great blessings in the midst of it all. My life is so blessed. Even in the darkest hours, there is always at least a sliver of light. It's just a matter of whether I choose to see that sliver or let the darkness consume me. I will always choose to see that sliver of light. So until I am completely consumed by sunshine again, I've decided to make sure I take time to blog the next few days and focus on those things that brought great happiness this week. My first "sliver of light" is something from TODAY....

11 Years ago, I moved in the basement apartment of the cutest little house on Cherry Lane (not the same Cherry Lane as Puff The Magic Dragon, but just as enchanting.) in Provo while I was attending BYU. I moved into the apartment alone, not knowing anyone, on purpose. I wanted the ultimate college experience of meeting new friends and knew that if you move in with people you already know, sometimes you tend to stick with that group instead of branching out. There were 3 individual rooms in the basement apartment of Liz's grandpa's house (Grandpa Edward Hart, who wrote the lyrics to "Our Savior's Love"...I think of him every time I sing that song. Loved him.) and Liz and her friend Erin were my first roommates there. And I will be honest with you. I was a horrible roommate. I didn't realize this until long after I had been married and grown up a bit. I was the roommate that other roommates dreaded....guys over constantly, blaring LOUD music, getting home at all hours of the night....it was ridiculous. And the more I have thought about it over the years, the worse I have felt about how inconsiderate I was to my roommates. Shame on me.

Fortunately, after 11 years (we actually saw each other 7 years ago, but for about 2 seconds at Liz's cousin's wedding..who was ALSO one of my roomies after Liz graduated and moved away..but that doesn't really count), I had the opportunity to apologize to her in PERSON today at Barnes & Noble in Orem. And happy happy day.....after I apologized, she said, "I don't remember you being that horrible." Oh yay. Thank heavens. We had such a good time today, catching up and laughing about all of the fun memories we have together. Obviously, in addition to dressing in matching shirts in the picture below (not sure what the story is behind that picture....but the tackiness of those shirts AND my pale skin with dark lipstick, are enough to make me just about die laughing...though we are MUCH cuter in the pic above with our friends Jeff & Brett. AND we're wearing different shirts in that pic..which is a good thing. LOL!), Liz and I had such a great time together. Liz taught me a few rounds that we would always sing together, and that I still remember...and WE SANG...today!! For example:

White coral bells
Upon a slender stalk
Lilies of the valley
Deck my garden walk
Oh, don’t you wish
That you could
hear them ring.
That will happen only
when the fairies sing.

and

I had tea with the Duchess last night
And it was just as I thought it would be..
Her rumblings abdominal
Were simply abominable
And everybody thought it was me.

LOL! Good times. We reminisced about me calling to borrow peanut butter from some guy she liked so that she could go and borrow it even though we had like 3 things of peanut butter in the cupboard, playing "TRUE LOVE" (you put your full name and the guy's name next to each other, count how many T's, how many R's, how many U's, etc....to find out what percentage of TRUE LOVE you have..LOL), playing on the teeter totter and playing Twister at Jeff & Brett's house for hours, Liz's INCREDIBLE homemade squash ravioli, and countless, countless hilarious moments with our friend Foxxey (Larry Fox, who was one of our missionaries in Germany and become one of our good friends and the source of UNENDING laughter for me. He was hilarious!!). It was such a nice afternoon and so fun to escape the rather difficult moments I have had this week to those fun and unforgettable college days...just for a little while. What a blast we had!

 

And as you can see in the picture above showing us in 1998 and another one from today, Liz and I have something pretty huge in common. We are both BIG LOSERS!!!! I realized after leaving today, that collectively, Liz and I have lost 150 POUNDS since 2007!!!! Crazy!!! That is so awesome. Liz just hit 70 last month and as of this morning, I am at 83 pounds lost since July of 2007. We had a great time talking about not only our physical transformations, but about the process of losing and how much we have changed in the past 11 years. Gooood good times. A HUGE HUGE accomplishment and it was so great to share that excitement with someone who has done the same thing so recently!! And Liz..if I may say so.....we have just gotten HOTTER with age!!!! YAY US!!!!

Liz, it was so great to see you today. I had such a great time. I am so glad that despite the fact that I truly wasn't the best of roommates to you back then, that you really only remember all of the fun memories we have together. And we sure made a lot of great ones! YAY! I love that we are back in contact and hope that we will remain so and that we don't have to wait another 11 years to see each other! Oh Lizzzzzzzz......I LOVE YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments

[Bobbi-Jo]

WOW!!! Good for BOTH of you! You have truly lived an extraordinary life and you're still a young, hot chick!

It must feel amazing to reminisce about all of the wonderful friends you've made over the years. I see how you feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends, but you must know that the reason you have so many friends is because of the person you are. YOU are the kind of friend others WANT to be friends with! It's a wonder you don't have a post like this to write EVERY SINGLE DAY!

[Lori Muse]

Heather I love you to death and I hope that things look up. You're in my prayers and if there is anything I can do to brighten things let me know!

[Heather Hubrich]

That is so great that you keep re-connecting with such wonderful people. I am so sorry your week was hard- I am here for you....all you need to do is call!
I love you and hope to talk to you soon ;0)

[Jenn N]

I was the bad room mate in college too- but how cool are you to think to move in alone adn meet new people- you are so smart. Congratulations on doing such a great job loosing weight you both look great!!!

[Paige]

I could tell you had been having a hard day/week when I saw you at the park...hope things start to look up & your sliver of light becomes a HUGE RAY of light...you deserve it :)

[Christal]

Heather hope you get through the difficult times soon we love you!! Hang in there! And you are a bright ray of sunshine in our lives but you are aloud a few dark days just so we know your human j/k ! We could all do without them right. Well check out my blog for some exciting news ! love ya!!

[Heather]

I am sorry that you are going through a difficult time. I admire you for looking on the bright side.

[Nikki Peck]

I'm sorry you had a bad week. I hate those. :( But I know you always do find the silver lining in everything and make the best of it. One of the things I admire most about you. Anyway, I was JUST ON Cherry Lane on the 4th!! How funny. We went to Stadium of Fire and decided to see if someone I know who lives there was home. We probably drove right past this house you used to live in!!

[Liz]

Heather!!! I didn't see this until today (just got home from Utah a few hours ago), but it was soooo fun to see you too! We have both changed a lot since college, but only for the better! Love you! Lizzzzz

[lynn Crapo]

Oh Heather. It makes me sad to hear of your hard week. I pray that things look up for you really soon. You deserve a ray of sunshine for sure!

[baandtheboys]

i know why you are so bummed...we havent seen each other except just in passing! i do miss talking to you at 5.10am. (although you were lucky to miss todays class)
xoxoxoxox
ba