"...This is Dedicated to The Ones I Love..."

I am in the process of finishing my final project for one of my college classes. I am 9 credits away from receiving my bachelors degree. I am taking independent study classes through BYU. The class I am finishing is English 220 Writing Personal History. In writing my personal history I wanted to share a passage about my High School/ College experience.

" I never had a large group of friends growing up, I usually only had
1-2 close friends at a time. By my Sophomore year in High School my closest
friend at the time was Aruna Mani, she and her family were moving to Cincinnati,
OH. I was so sad to see her go and I feared what I would do, or whom I would be
friends with when she left. Twinges of fear, insecurity and desperation ran
through me as I urgently tried to find a group of peers with whom I could
comfortably become friends with. I was involved in theater and speech, and
desired to be apart of the little “click” known as the “stage jocks.” I began to
slowly change to fit their image, including my dress and manners. I didn't
realize the influence they were having on me until after one particular speech
trip. As everyone was getting loaded on the bus to head home I made a snide
comment. Everyone laughed and one person in particular, Raymond Price, leaned
over to me and remarked, “Hailey, we are turning you into one of us.” I sat
alone in my seat dumbstruck, pondering his statement when suddenly a male voice
said to me “Do you really want to be one of them?” In my mind I answered no, but
feared the loneliness that would accompany a new search for acceptance.

The next week, the Lord blessed me in my righteous desires and opened up
the opportunity for me to become friends with a good group of girls. Jennifer
Bell, Ruby Case, Jenalee Western, Robyn Young and Lorna Broadbent were all girls
with high morals, strong testimonies and big hearts. It was Jennifer Bell who
suddenly called me one day and invited me to come over to her house. She was
going to dye her hair blond and asked if I wanted to go to the store with her to
pick the right color. We both ended up dying our hair that day, I became a
brunette. Afterward in a strange and unspoken way I felt invited to become a
part of her close circle of friends.

These girls helped uplift me, strengthen my testimony, and challenged me to set higher goals than I imagined possible. Ruby Case in particular was very persistent in her arguments that I needed to go to college, and do all that was necessary to find, and be accepted into a good school.

I applied and was accepted into Rick's College. Attending this fine school
helped shape my life in many ways. I became close to another very good group of
girls whom I roomed with my second year in College. Daisy Iden, Jennifer McCabe
and Kerry Bowen in particular helped to influence me in my decision to serve a
mission. I am indebted to my Father in Heaven for always providing me with good
people whom I could call my friends. They were instrumental in shaping my
character and sustaining me through the difficulties that I faced, I love them all. "

I felt I needed to include this portion of my paper in an act of thanking these women for being positive influences in my life. There are particular things that I have needed to say to many of them, and since they all read my blog...here it goes.

Jennifer Bell Atkinson: Thank you again for reaching out and befriending me in high school. Your kindness and love has always touched my heart these past 15 years. I have never properly thanked you for your thoughtfulness in writing me while I was on my mission. Recently I found some old letters of yours and read through them. Timmy was still a baby and you took the time to write to me and send me packages. Children are very demanding of ones time and attention and I never fully appreciated the dedication and sacrifice you made until now.

Ruby Case Perren: Thank you for your persistence in getting me to accept the idea that I needed to do something with my life after High School. You alone deserve the credit for pushing me into considering College. I will never forget your kindness in helping to comfort me when I was so panicked during the first week at Rick's. Thank you for walking with me and helping to calm me down.


Robyn Young: I am not sure if you follow the blog, but you were also there walking with me during that first week of school. I appreciate that you also did your best to help me feel comforted about being away from home.


Jenalee Western Garrett: I have never known if you received the e-mail I sent you in 1998 apologizing for the falling out we had after graduation. I recognize your forbearance with me during our time in high school. You were correct in saying that our relationship didn't come as naturally and as easily as others. Our personalities were different, and it took a lot of work. But I had several testimony building experiences with you and am grateful for the first opportunity to learn how to resolve concerns and work through differences with an individual. I believe it assisted me on my mission. I have always appreciated the fact that you called me after I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Although I would not have wished the same fate upon you, it was comforting to know that you understood the fears and frustrations I was suffering with at the time.


Daisy Iden Reyes: How grateful I am that we became acquainted in High School, which led to us becoming roommates and friends in College. It was especially comforting to be able to see and talk to you while we were at the MTC. Your letters, and e-mails have always helped to encourage and uplift me. I love you and your little family a great deal, and apologize that I have not spent more time in SLC with you.

Jennifer McCabe: I will never forget how much I grew to love you during the summer of 1998 as we e-mailed one another back and forth. Sharing our "man troubles" and having all the same experiences for the first time together. It was at your farewell that I truly realized how much I admired and envied you, Kerry and Daisy for your desires to serve a mission. You were the first of us to go and what an incredible example you set, your letters and tapes from the field were inspiring, I admire and love you so much.

Kerry Bowen Carter: First of all CONGRATULATIONS on little Thomas, he is beautiful. There is too much for me to say, how funny that two completely different women could become such dear friends. We made so many fun memories together. What is more especially touching are the memories of when a heart was broken and in need of comfort. You were always my shoulder to cry on. Thank you for your efforts in traveling so far to support me when I needed it. Time and distance has never dimmed my love for you. I will probably always think of you at each General Conference for the rest of my life, how I wish we could spend another weekend like that again. Hopefully soon.