One of my favorite little people in the world...

Be careful....the cuteness may overwhelm you...

Kitty...

Christine Part Du

And so the plot thickens...

High school proved to be trying. These years were truly the beginning of my life as a Christian, and Christine was with me every step of the way. Those four years were some of the most amazing, transitional, and defining times of our lives. I spent my four years learning how to cope with a wild and unruly father, enjoying proms and formals, frequenting jails and rehabilitation centers, overcoming an eating disorder, playing on the basketball and volley ball team(with Christine), becoming a member of the competition cheerleading squad(with Christine), playing in the praise band for school chapel(with Christine), enduring multiple knee surgeries, joining a church and learning about the Lord, engaging in immature romantic relationship(s), getting my heart broken...The list could go on and on. Christine was ever-consistent. She was active in her church, held various leadership positions in our class, was voted "Most Intelligent" and "Best Christian Character", and was actively building a relationship with God. She steered clear of boys for the most part, which was completely odd to me at the time. Having a boyfriend made me feel as if someone needed me. Relationships fed that void in my heart until they could do so no longer. That place was for the Lord to fill... and He did. Christine always had to be home before everyone else. It drove our group of friends to the point of insanity at times. I understand the need for structure, but there were many times I can recall that she was sorely missed. I had no defined rules in regards to curfew, traveling, goings and comings... I was, if you will, kind of a free sprit. Looking back, I thank God for the Spirit of conviction He gave me early in life. Otherwise, I truly do not know where I would be. Thank you, Jesus, for imparting even an ounce of wisdom to that inconsistent, selfish teenager that I was. It has made all the difference. Christine and I spent countless nights at each other's houses. I would have rather cuddled with Teen than most any person on earth. This statement is still valid to this day. We played board games,hung out with her siblings and family, played basketball, went on school trips, attended band concerts, walked around her neighborhood, watched movies, shared food, did crafts, painted fingernails, told each other our deepest secrets, talked about things we shouldn't have, did things we shouldn't have done...I always thought to myself, "Now this is a friend." I had the privilege of watching from the bleachers as Christine was nominated Homecoming Queen our senior year... this is the competition I dropped out of at the last minute because the thought of us competing for a title made me truly sick. She deserved it, anyways. I don't think I ever told her the reasoning behind my actions... I remember I was so proud I couldn't even think straight. Our grade situation ended up evening out...I still had trouble showing up to classes, but we were pretty even GPA-wise. Teen had all things math under her belt, English too. If you know her now, watch out! She may or may not correct your grammar if you aren't careful... She's the sweetest grammar Nazi I know, though, so don't be shy. These are the years that biology and the sciences became my strongest suits and passions. We both had our share of messes that we got ourselves into... Everything that happened in my life, Teen would be the first to know. Anything that was going on with hers, I would know. She was the first to know about my first kiss, my bad decisions(there were many), and anything going on with my family. We often talked about how our family lives affected us. We came from two completely different backgrounds, but often found common ground in that we were in need of constant encouragement... These were truly amazing years. We grew in the Lord, and were starting to build the foundations of who were were to become. We had ups and downs, disagreements, and times when we found it hard to talk to each other...but it always subsided. When it came time for graduation, we had to part. Teen headed South to Palm Beach Atlantic University where you'd have to pay me to attend...and even then, I wouldn't be thrilled. I stayed in Panama City and went to a community college...where Teen wouldn't be caught dead after graduating from high school.


We stayed in touch, and I can't even begin to tell you how much this woman affects to me to this day...


If you thought the first two parts were at all a pleasure to read, stay tuned for part three. [The Real Deal]


Bring tissues if you're a cryer.