The Great Escape of 2008

The day is finally here! Today my two best friends arrive in ATL to begin our road trip to Pennsylvania. I'm truly acting like a little kid on Christmas waiting for them to get here – its been too long since the three of us have been together (well really only a few months – but that's too long). I would sit here and tell you all about the adventure we have planned for ourselves (well – more realistically the adventure we don't have planned yet) but it really isn't about the trip. I'm just so excited to spend five days with the two people that have helped define me as a person.

We met in 6^th grade at church choir. I had just moved to our small town a year before and went to a different elementary school 'down the highway'. But middle school found the combination of both elementary schools together under one roof. Every Wednesday I would see Evan and Michelle (they've been best friends since kindergarten) walking to McDonald's and then subsequently standing in the choir loft a few rows behind me. In 7^th grade, I started taking church more seriously and eventually developed a relationship with Christ that my current friends just didn't understand – oh the drama of middle school! But Evan and Michelle did understand and so began our crazy friendship, based on the most solid foundation I can think of, our faith. Now, let's be clear – we aren't a bible beating, holier than thou type people -I have several memories of holding hair after too much alcohol to negate that fact – but the truth is that we've kept each other accountable and love each other with the understanding that despite all our mistakes, our hearts are in the right place.

Through college we didn't keep in touch as well as we should have. But, right when I thought things would never be the same I got a call from Michelle a few years ago. Her live-in boyfriend and she were having problems and she was unhappy. We of course talked to Evan about it too and when things ended for them, Ev and I jumped in the car and made our way to Michelle. Although Michelle will tell you that her breakup has been the worse experience of her life, I'd argue her breakup was the best for mine. It took something like that, something life altering for Michelle to realize how desperately we needed each other. Since then, we see each other every few months and talk frequently. Michelle and I went to France last year for a week after the break up and decided we'd do a vacation every year together (with Evan of course!).

So – today we celebrate twelve years of friendship. God bless Evan and Michelle. There are times when I truly don't know what I would have done without them. Their prayers, encouragement and occasional disappointment in me have kept me on what I hope to be the right track. Ironically Evan will soon be engaged and has moved back to our hometown. Michelle is now moving to Atlanta with me in August.

This trip will, no doubt, be full of memories and long talks in the car. Every time we get together I find a new sense of myself and get grounded all over again. It's a great change from the work and partying in Atlanta.