Three More Friends Leave

I feel like this picture says it all about James

I went to my friend's farewell a couple of Sundays ago and as I was sitting there listening to him speak my friend Sharissa leaned over and said, "I can't believe our little James is all grown up."  Exactly what I was thinking.  Where has the time gone?
I first met James on the bus ride up to Lagoon for science day in 8th grade.  On the way home, my friend Karli and I, and somewhat Mireya, became good friends with him and his friend.  The next year we had AP human geography together, along with the rest of the gang.  James kept the whole class laughing.  Sharissa and I used to tease him by giving each other looks and pretending to have conversations.  James would try so hard to understand what we were saying.
That year we also became better friends through track and science demo team.
The next year we started high school and we stayed friends. He took me on my first date the day after I turned 16 and he also took me to prom that year and I had a blast.

Our junior year I was in Spain and James was one of the only ones that actually sent me letters.  They always entertained me.  One time he asked me if I was the only white person in Spain.  He's been teased plenty since, but really, that's why we love James.
When I got back James had become too cool for me.  No, he's still my friend.  It's been way fun to see him change through the years.  He still catches me by surprise sometimes with the things he says and I love him for it.  You will be a great missionary in New York James.

This past Sunday I had two farewells to go to but I only went to one.  The one I didn't go to was for one of my friends that I made at college.  I wish I could have gone, but it was a little too far for me to go (ok so it was only 30 minutes away and I know that makes me look like a bad friend but I had seen him a week before).

Mikey and his step sister at bowling.
Yes, I realize it's creepy I stole this from facebook but he needed a picture

Mikey, you will be missed especially this upcoming year when bowling starts again.  Thanks for being such a good friend and good luck in Chile.
The next one was for my good friend DJ.  DJ is one of those friends that you keep for years and years.  He's been with me since second grade.  Almost as soon as he transferred into Señora Petrie's spanish immersion class we became friends.

I'm in the front center and DJ's two to my left in the blue shirt
And yes, out of all of these years, this is the only picture I have of both of us

In Jr. High we had some good times in Señora Silito's class but once he gave up on spanish we sort of lost contact for a while.  However, senior year rolled along and we once again had a class together and DJ became my study partner.  We made bets on the outcome of the end of the year tests and I won so he bought me costa vida and an apple pie.  He's basically the greatest.  Even this past year when he was 3 hours away, we stayed in contact.  Every time he came up to visit his family, we would go get ice cream and we would talk about my bubble, calculus, and his tutoring.  Once school ended we attempted to have a harry potter marathon but we only got to number 4.  And then I got sick and now he's leaving.  But it's alright because when he gets home I fully intend to start on number 5.  Since this is a monster post, the last thing I want to say is (as cheesy as it is), those Filipinos are lucky to have you DJ.
The End