"FRIENDS"-From Near, Far, & In Between!

Jenny & Angie
Becki & Angie
Tara & Angie

How blessed I am to have so many wonderful friends in my life? From near, very near (as in 7 houses away) to far (Fort Worth) and in between (Austin). I truly have some incredible people to call my friends. Not only do I have these three awesome girlie's as friends but many others and some that are farther away than these.

Becki-I have known her the longest of these three friends. I met her at a medical school retreat right before our husbands began the long journey of becoming physicians. We have shared many laughs, tears, giggles, sobs, smiles, & frowns. It was friendship from the moment we said hello to one another. Our differences never were and issue, we just grew to learn about one another and accepted everything. There was just this comfortable feeling between us no matter if we were talking one another's ears off or if there were only a few words ever spoken. Never was there an awkward silence. It just felt good to know we had each other to go on our long journey with. It is scary how much we are alike and how different we are at the same time. We both grew up in small Texas towns about 7 hours apart. There are three years difference in our ages. One brunette and one's a blonde (or at least still trying to be a blondie!). Becki has two adorable boys and I have three beautiful girls. I cherish our friendship and the memories we have made thus far, from Taco Bell throat, sharing snickers bars, watching Survivor and ER together, a few too many ice cream treats, the kickboxing class that almost kicked my butt. I could go on and on and on. Thanks "B" for all the memories and for being there always. I love and miss you.

Jenny-I first met Jenny on the phone right after match day during my husband's first year of residency. Her husband at just matched in the Ortho program in San Antonio and was given our name by someone in the department. They traveled from New Orleans to house hunt and came over to our house and we let our kids play and we talked about all the stuff you want to know before you start this part of this long journey. Jenny and her family ended up buying a house just down the street from us and it has been a life saver. Our kids play constantly, we hang out together with and without our hubbies. We trade kid watching a lot. Some people say we are a lot alike but some say we are very different. I am not, even though I have attempted it, a clean freak! My house is no pig pen, but I can't keep up as well as Jen. We do go shopping together or seperately and end up buying alot of the same things so much that if we are going anywhere together we have to call and make sure we aren't going to match. It has been really good to have someone that understands the demands of a surgery resident, being a stay at home mommy, and all it takes to survive this. I have come to realize you need great friends and family , a ton of patience and and endless suppy of diet coke and M&M's to stay sane. Thanks for helping me through this Jenny. You have been a life saver to me during residency. Thanks for being a great friend. I treasure our friendship now and always. Thanks for great memories.

Tara-We met at church and really didn't become friends until just a few months before Tara's husband finished dental residency and moved her away to Austin. I have to say I was a bit sad after connecting so well with her. She is a great example to me of how to be a great mom, how to be a true friend, sister, and daughter, and how to get through easy and hard times. Tara is an example of service. She is always thinking of others and never herself. We too are so much alike it is freaky, but we are also very different. She's a brunette and I'm a blonde. We both love to shop, get pedicures and an occasional massage, our families are most important to us but we still enjoy an occasional get away to just be girls. When we talk there is never silence and we laugh and cry and sometimes I get off the phone not knowing what we really talked about or if is was significant, but that doesn't matter. Just sharing in each other's lives is enough. Even though Austin isn't that far way we rarely see each other but talk to one another almost daily. Tara, you are awesome and a true friend. Thanks for all you are and all you do. Thanks for making me a better person by having met you.