Chicas de OSSO!!

"Along the way, you find sisters, and they find you. Girls are cool that way."

To say I've had the time of my life thus far would be a GIANT understatement. Who knew toddlers (day in and day out) could be so much fun? Well to be honest, that is only half the fun. In one short month (that has flown by much to my dismay), I have met some incredible people and made some irreplaceable friends.

To the world we are the "Chicas de OSSO". I have never been more honored to share a collective title with a group of people. I feel like I know many of them better/they know me better than some of the people I have known for years. 

I really can't say enough about the girls I have met. I flew into a house knowing absolutely no one. However, once the first day was out of the way, I knew I was going to enjoy my time in Ecuador. I had not anticipated to grow as close or attached to the girls I am serving with. 

The first girls I met were:

Brandi: 23 - Washington. She's a nurse! Also, my roommate. :) Labor day trip fo' sho. 

Mikele: 19 - Washington. BYU-I. She's Brandi's cousin. I'll be visiting her and Hayden this coming semester at school. 

Janessa: 19- Utah. UVU. Cheer camp 2012 instructor. She and I are going to go crazy this Fall!

Danielle: 21- California. BYU-I. Planning a visit to see her in Cali in Jan. 

McCall: 19- California. BYU. She is friends with Danielle. And goes to MY school!

Karlee: 22- Utah. Just graduated from BYU-I. She WILL be living in Utah now so that we can hang out. Right?

Melissa: 20- Utah. UVU. Friends with Karlee. She'll be in Orem and I can't wait!

Danielle and McCall left this morning. But, I know with McCall in Provo, Danielle in Rexburg and much collaboration on planning visits... it will be far from the last time I see them. :)

The girls who have come this past week are (I don't know all of them that well. Except that I know that they are AWESOME!):

Sam: 20- Utah. UVU. She is living south of BYU in a house. SUPER JEALOUS. 

Leah: 21- New Jersey. She goes to school at Tufts University and is a ballerina! Taught me "the Kendra"

Katie: 20- Oregon. I'm not sure where she is at school... but we basically want the same amount of kids (same gender and order and everything!)

Morgan: 20- Kansas. BYU-I. She's about to be in the same position I'm in when her BF of 3 years leaves on his mission! She's awesome. 

Aubree: 20- Utah. Utah State. She's our other roomie! 

Caitlin: 19- Utah. UVU. "Chonchos in ponchos." haha

Here are some pictures of our adventures in collage form. Click on each one to make them bigger!!

Top left to bottom left: Model shots last friday. Basilica, basilica, Papallacta, girls night!, our May Banquet. 

Teleferiqo, Mikele and Danielle, Basilica, Basilica, Modeling in a gondola... 

Danielle, colby, Janessa, McCall, Janessa (twice?), Mikele, and Karlee. We did this catapult ride... it was AWESOME!

I love every single one of the girls who are here with me. I have loved every crazy second we have spent together, eating out, cooking, cleaning, wiping noses, dancing, talking and playing. This is a different atmosphere than I have been in a long time. In middle and the beginning of high school I had a big group of girl friends that I always hung out with. As time moved on and I got a boyfriend, my group of girl friends slowly got smaller and hangouts less frequent. I went away to school. In my first semester at college I bonded quickly with my roommates whom I love so dearly. But, we really only hung out with guys. Same second semester... and the pattern repeated itself this past year.

After spending a month with these girls I realize what I have been missing. Girl friends. And not to discredit my 3 amigas out at BYU. I love them like mad too. I just have been missing a group of girls hanging out. I dunno, silly I guess. But, girls just wanna have fun. And with no boys or drama around... that is exactly what we've been doing. 

Anyway, I came out here April 19. I told myself "you have 2 months. No wasting time being shy (which is unlike me to begin with) or not yourself. Make friends and have fun." I was kind of nervous being thrown into a house full of random girls. Especially since I had a not so hot experience with college roommates once. I jumped in and was me from day 2. Day 1... I was still getting to know everyone. 

In basically a week I felt like I was extremely lucky. Everyone was nice, cool, fun and pretty. And you know what... we are all pretty close now. We talk about everything (boys, family, friends, hobbies, hopes, religion, school... EVERYTHING), I am able to say outlandish, crazy or weird things and they get me (a rare quality), we dance like crazy doing dishes, on the way to shift or just when someone turns on some music, we cry, we laugh, we smile and we love together. 

I am so blessed. I really am. I feel like I have known most of these girls our entire lives. I know I came at the right time for me. I can't wait to travel to Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada this coming school year. I can't wait for road trips or hangouts with new and old friends. I love them and their individual stories and quirks and talents. I love that we can share our talents and thoughts openly. I'm glad I can share clothes (today I borrowed one of Brandi's sports bra because mine were missing?!). 

I love being here. I am not ready to leave. I have had the time of my life! I love my kids. I love my friends. Life is good!! 

"Along the way, you find sisters, and they find you. Girls are cool that way." And these girls are just that.