Happy Birthday Abby and Nathan

When I was younger and an attention whore, I loved birthdays. Me, me, me. I loved being the center of attention and people noticing me on my special day. Now that I'm a little bit older, a little bit wiser, and quite a bit shyer, I like to focus attention on others instead. :)

So first up is my friend, Abby. Hi Abby! Her birthday was actually yesterday, but I couldn't find pictures to scan until today. The one on the left is from Cedar Campus my sophomore year, and on the right, she is the head of the horse. What, you can't tell that's her? :)

I met Abby at InterVarsity my sophomore year. The first time I noticed her, she was putting on a sock puppet show during an IV gathering with my future husband (I didn't know he was going to be my future husband at the time). My first impression of Abby was of an extremely caring woman who was always enthusiastic about the people and things she loved and, I'm happy to say, that this impression rings true to this day. Even though life has taken both of us into different directions that causes us to have difficulty in finding time to get together, I know that she is always there to listen if I need a friend.

My favorite memory of Abby is probably when I saw her as that horse during Halloween my senior year. I was having an awful day and had decided to stay in and study instead of partying away with my friends or making out with my fairly new boyfriend. ;) As I settled down with my stack of books and stack of Oreos, someone knocked at my door. I opened up and in walks Abby and Cassie as this horse. At first, I thought that these were people that knew my roommate and not me, but then I hear Abby and Cassie say "Hi Kristine!" I was laughing so hard I could barely take the picture at the top. After staying and chatting for a few minutes, they trotted away with perfect precision, not knowing how much they cheered me up. (Well, now they know :)).

One interesting fact about Abby is that she and her mom made all (about a million; okay, more like around 400) the chair covers for her wedding and now they rent them out to people. Can you imagine how much time and fabric that must have taken?! As someone who got married fairly recently and who also sews, it boggles my mind.

So, happy belated birthday, Abby! Hope that this following year brings you plenty of joy and many happy moments with Jason. :)




Today is Nathan's birthday. Obviously, (or maybe not) that picture is of Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords. I don't have a picture of NBG. When Nathan doesn't cut his hair or shave, he kind of looks like him. Kind of. I think Bret looks kind of homeless sometimes. Anyway...

I met Nathan my first day of History of India at ISU. He's probably the first friend I made on campus. Our professor launched into a lecture on that first day and Nathan was scribbling away on two 3x5 index cards. I felt bad for him and offered him some paper, which he accepted. I like to joke around and say that he only passed that class because I lent him my (extensive) notes before the final exam; I never missed a class so they were pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

Nathan is a very kind person, as the following story entails. My first apartment as an ISU student was not that far from campus. A bit of a walk, sure, but completely doable. So, I decided that one day, I was going to walk instead of drive; you know, be environmentally friendly and all. After classes were over, I hoisted my bag until my shoulders and trudged home. About halfway there, I started inwardly cursing. It had gotten hotter by the afternoon and the walk that was so pleasant that morning was now miserable, akin to what I bet the Trail of Tears was like. This car pulls up next to the sidewalk I was on, so I prepare to run. Or scream. I hadn't yet seen the driver so I was completely sure that this was some lunatic trying to steal my virtue. But, it turned out to just be Nathan, and he very graciously drove me the rest of the way back. I never attempted to just walk back and forth from campus ever again.

Hmm...interesting fact about Nathan...if he could, he would live during the 1800s. Or any time period that was a simpler time. He is probably the least materialistic person I know, and moves around with his only possessions being his computer, a desk chair, and clothes. As a person who probably owns too much, this impresses me.

Hope you enjoyed this first installment of friends' birthdays. Keep your eyes peeled, because I could be writing about you on your birthday. ;)

-Stinkier, with love.