Lisa

Lisa is one of those dear friends that comes into your life and you think you might stay friends, and then because of who she is as a friend, you stay friends even in all different stages of life. I met Lisa in 2005 while working at the TKJ Inc. group home. I hired this adorable 18 year old not knowing she would become one of my very best friends. Soon after hiring her, I decided to work every shift with her because I enjoyed her company. She always made me laugh. We would have long, deep, meaningful conversations. I started to notice that Lisa would stay at work and hang out with me long after her shift was over. I felt myself open up to Lisa the way I would only open up to close friends I knew all my life or my family. At work, there was a communication log, and on the very rare days that I didn't work with Lisa, she would write me a huge long note saying how her shift went. It made me smile to see the smudges all along the notes because she is left handed.... still something I look forward to when I recieve something from her in the mail. Lisa is an amazing worker. She does her best and did her job in such a caring and loving way. I will have to admit, she was my favorite employee and I showed her special attention. I couldn't help it. It was like we were ment to find each other. Although I am a little older than Lisa, I feel like we watched each other grow up... from high school graduations, college, relationships coming and going, even hardships that changed lives. I eventually moved on from the group home when graduating from college and Lisa took my place as manager. I KNEW I was leaving the clients I had spent so much time with in the best of hands. We stayed in touch after I left and we were still very much apart of each other's lives. She would even come over for sleep overs. Then Lisa made a brave choice to move away from Utah. I have to admit, at the time I didn't think it would be too hard. We would stay in touch over the phone and write letters. It was harder than I thought. Lisa would post on her blog about her new life in Seattle and I felt connected to her when I would read her rants about her 400th time trying to quite drinking Diet Coke, I would beam with pride when she would post about getting organized, and I was thrilled to see she had met someone that really loved her for her and he made her happy. Lisa would come back to Utah to visit family and it would make me so happy that she made time for me. When she would come back, it would be like nothing had really changed. It was so comforting to see her connect with my kids when meeting them for the first time and it is my hopes that my kids will call her Aunt Lisa. I was honored to be apart of the most exciting times in her life. Her endowment, her sealing to her husband, and to be apart of the life of her son Henry. I have recently been to Seattle a couple times to visit and it's hard for me to leave. For someone who has grown so much in the last several years we have known each other, she hasn't changed that much. True, she is a wife amd mother now, but there is a familier love and freindship that is felt whenever I am with her or talk to her over the phone.

I will always remember and cherish those group home days. Night shifts sobbing over the notebook, Lisa eating and pretending to like sushi because she knew I liked it. Cooking dinner together. Taking clients to movies and parties. Don't even get me started on Thursday mutual nights. Target, Target, Target (we spent alot of time there) Teaching her how to drive on he freeway. Watching her graduate. Let's not forget St. George trip of 2006, I think we ate the whole time. This list could seriously go on and on.

I love you Lisa. Thank you for always being here for me. Seriously. It's nice to know that something will remain the same in this ever changing world. Thank you for loving me, even when I didn't love myself. Thank you for never casting judgment on me. You inspire me with your kindness towards others. You are open and honest. Being with you reminds me to take a deep breath and appreciate what I know and love. You have come a long way. We have together. I hope it will always be this way. Lisa, you are my inspiration!