The story of how I lost a friend

Okay, okay. You've been on the edge of your seats waiting for this post, I know. Well, here it is. I hope you enjoy it. 

So... if you've been keeping up with my blog, you have probably noticed that I talk about a very painful situation that happened about a year ago. This post pretty much sums up how I've felt about everything, ever since. (I don't mean to keep bringing it up.. I'm sure it gets old hearing about my ex.)

Anyway, you've also probably noticed another theme among my blog posts. ANTHONY.

This post from November is just one example of how good of friends he and I have been ever since I met him about a year ago.

As friends, we've had some incredible times together. We grew pretty close last summer, since we both had weekends off of work, unlike our other friends. It was only natural that we would hang out. One of my favorite memories is of the two of us going to St. Louis on a complete whim. We were eating at McAlister's and he mentioned that he had never been up in the arch. This was remedied, quickly. We literally got up from the restaurant and went to St. Louis. I wish I had the pictures from this, but they're on a camera that I don't own and don't have access to.

Another time we went to the art museum in Springfield. That's when I decided that I wanted to learn how to paint; however, it wasn't until Christian and I broke up that I actually acted on this.

I made Ant go with me to antique/thrift stores one time, and we actually had a blast. I lost all of my pictures that I had taken, so you get to enjoy a few that Antho took. Whoopee..

Lovely pictures, I know. But we had a great time. (at least I did..)

I bought Anthony tickets to see Interpol for Christmas, so in February, we went to St. Louis again. 

He is a scary driver. 

We had some time to kill, so we ate dinner at this awesome place. I don't know what it's called, but I want to go back.

I'm not a very good photographer, but I think that this picture is pretty priceless. We were waiting for the concert to start... we played Words With Friends and made fun of a lot of people that were sitting around us. We are so nice.

I couldn't get a good picture, but at the very least, here is some proof that we actually got to see Interpol live!

(YUCK! That picture quality is so horrible. I'm super tempted to not even put them up. But since I'm writing this... I guess I'll just keep it.)

Okay, so, at this point, I'm starting to become really good friends with Anthony's family. The Martins are awesome! I don't know his other sister very well, or his parents, but the time that I have spent with them has been really nice. I love being around all of them.

It was about that time that I wrote this post.

Yes, I know. I've been in denial for a long, long time. I'm in love with Anthony. Those are strong words, but when you care about a friend as deeply as I've cared about Anthony, I guess it's a natural progression. Given that he was there through my painful break-up and the healing afterwards, he saw the broken side of me and loved me anyway. I've always valued his friendship, but I finally admitted to myself a few weeks ago that I had stronger feelings for Ant than simply as friends. 

It turns out that he felt the same way. 

We've decided to give this new level of a relationship a go, so... wish us luck.  :)

We spent this last weekend with Amy, Dave and her kids in Ozark, and as usual, I had a blast. 

When I showed up to their house after work on Saturday, Anthony gave me this sweet ring. He had been at the mall doing whatever and came across it. Does he know me, or does he know me? I love it. 

On Sunday, I went with Antho and his family to Busiek State Forest. 

(I stole a couple of her pictures, but Amy's blog sums it up better than I could. SO, check it out!)

Alright, so everything was off to a great start.

And then I got the flu. :(

BUT LO AND BEHOLD, Anthony to the rescue. (notice another trend-- he is constantly doing something to make my life easier)

He drove all the way over to my house on his lunch break at work with Sprite and soup, and then after work he showed up again with another Sprite. (I don't know how much Sprite he expected me to ingest.)

I lost my thermometer, somehow, so he went and bought me another one, along with Theraflu. It worked wonders! 

He's an incredible person. I haven't been taken care of this well since I lived at home. (haha)

I am realizing more and more that God provides for us in every way. I never would have guessed that Christian and I would have broken up. I never could have imagined that a simple friendship like Anthony and I had could have developed into what we have now. It's humbling to realize what a role God plays in everything. The people that I consider my closest friends right now are as a result of knowing Ant. That's amazing to me. A year ago he was this random guy that likes video games, and now he's the guy that cares about me more than I can comprehend.

Whether this relationship ends in the way that everyone always hopes, or whether it does not, I'm okay with taking that chance. I figure that being who we were created to be is the greatest thing that we can be.  To be who we are and befriend those who are complimentary to who we should be is a beautiful thing. 

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

- Dr. Seuss

So, there you have it. I am now down another friend. Oh, great.

Cheers :) :) :)

⁵ Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;

      your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
    ⁶ Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
      your justice like the ocean depths.
   You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
       ⁷ How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
   All humanity finds shelter
      in the shadow of your wings.
    ⁸ You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
      letting them drink from your river of delights.
    ⁹ For you are the fountain of life,
      the light by which we see.

Psalm 36: 5-9