Stephanie Marie Shurtliff: Extrovert. Bookworm. Mormon. College Student. Brunette? Optimist. Best Friend.
Today is Stephanie’s 21st birthday. I can’t even begin to describe how much I love her or am grateful for her. But I’m going to try.
I still remember the first time I ever even heard her name. Sitting in my Junior High Spanish class, I thought I misheard my teacher (which, in fact, I did, as her last name is not “shirt lift.” hahaha). But I remember that after meeting her, I instantly wanted to be her friend.
When we finally met, during Fall of our 9th grade year, we started to become friends. We were in the same Spanish class. None of my friends liked her. Haha. But I didn’t let that dissuade me. Some days I left the comfort zone of the only friends I had in Junior High to go and sit by her. Even though our friends were completely different, we got along well, and I somehow knew that we were supposed to be friends with each other. :)
Our friendship really became what it is today during the summer after our Sophomore Year. That is the first time in my life that I found a group of friends (The Blah Team) that I was really close to. They were the type of friends I could do anything with - sleep out under the stars, go on adventures, go on drives, get lost, talk about what we love and hate about each other and the world, sneak out at 2 AM, visit each other at work, or just feel happiness by being in each other’s presence. And Stephanie, to me, was a key component in making that summer what it was. And to this day, she is the only member of the Blah Team that I still talk to almost every day.
I have more memories with Stephanie than I have with almost any other friend. After Sophomore Year, we truly did become best friends. She was there for the Blah Team. She was there as I tried to help our other friend come back to school. We moved through friend groups together. She was there when we started hanging out with kids at other schools. She was there when we tried toilet papering a different friend’s house every night. She was there when I first started being comfortable with who I was. She was there when I had my first (and second and third) girlfriend. She was there for my first kiss (this is quite literal, as she was sitting right there, although she didn’t realize that it happened at the time). She was there during Choir Trip, when we formed the Sexy Six. She was there to creep on my High School English Teacher and form the Onion Street Bingo Gang. Who else in their right mind besides my closest friends would think about doing something like that? :P
The Sexy Six
Choir Trip
Stephanie is, without a doubt, one of the few people I can be truly awkward with.
I honestly have no idea what is happening in this picture.
Choir trip matching!
Marriage Proposal?
Don’t ask.
We’ve even slept together…
…In a purely platonic way, of course!
She has been there for me (and hopefully I for her) through friendships, love, heartbreak, melodrama, significant others, school dances, repenting, decision-making, change, midnight drives, 4 AM drives, New Year’s Eve parties, every other sort of party, roof-sitting adventures, Junior High, High School, and even college. She is one of those friends who I know I will never lose, no matter how hard I try. ;) We’ve been through everything and back again, and our friendship is stronger for it. :)
Disneyland.
If there is one thing that Stephanie has done for me than anyone else has, it is that she has helped me to be happy with who I am. Additionally, she has helped me to realize that people can love me for being that person. She’s helped me to realize that more than any other person in the world. And for that I will be forever grateful.
So here’s to you, Stephanie. Thank you for all the years you have stuck with me. Thank you for being there for me through all of my trials. Thank you for insisting that we remain friends, even when we start to drift apart. Thank you for helping me to come out of my shell and be who I always wanted to be. Thank you for helping me to understand myself. Thank you for setting an example for me, teaching me how to be a better friend and better person.
So, to one of my best friends in the world, Stephanie Marie Shurtliff, here’s to you.
Oh, and thanks to your mom for helping you be born and stuff.
And because two of the people I follow did it. Here I go. I might delete this later. I can’t believe I’m doing it.
Do you love the last boy/girl you were talking to?
I do.
Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
WOULD I? If occasion warrented it. Haha. WILL I? I can’t see occasion warranting it - I haven’t seen her since it happened. Hahahaha.
What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Facebook stalking, and blog stalking Jerusalem Blogs.
Honestly, who was the last person to tell you that they love you?
Stephanie, I suppose! Since she was the last person I talked to tonight.
Last restaurant you went to?
Brick Oven with two sisters! (Kimber, you were missed.)
Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Stephanie, but only for about ten seconds.
Did you have an exciting last weekend?
Kind of, haha. I helped one of my best friends propose to another one of my best friends, so that was really neat.
Have you ever crawled through a window?
Of course. My favorite example of this was when I was at Ji Su and Whitney’s place, but Whitney was having a “doorstep scene” with her fiance, so I climbed out the window when I wanted to leave so I wouldn’t have to awkwardly pass them on the doorstep.
What do you spend most of your money on?
My study abroad.
Where were you at 1AM sunday morning?
I believe I was reading Harry Potter! I am clearly very neat.
Ever kissed someone over 30?
Never even kissed someone over 20.
Is there a secret you’ve never told your parents?
Yup!
Do you like yourself?
I would want to be best friends with myself if I weren’t myself! So, yes.
Who is someone you wish you could fix things with?
A few different people.
Is there anything in your past that you’d like to try again?
I suppose, but at the same time I feel like I learn from my mistakes, so probably not.
Are you an emotional person?
Um….yes.
What’s something that can always make you feel better?
Nutella and Harry Potter. I chose two responses. Also, friends. I love friends. Even when I don’t want to talk, if I end up talking to them, I ALWAYS feel better. But Nutella is fool-proof as well.
Did your parents spoil you as a child?
Yes. Yes, they did.
Do you still have pictures of you and your ex?
Of course. I don’t see a point in getting rid of them. They’re a part of my past, after all, and a happy part of my past.
How’s your heart lately?
My cardiovascular system is doing well, thank you!
Steph’s Sporadic Spout of Schizophrenia… :)
“wow maybe your comments are the ones out of the blue”
“Who are you talking to…?”
“I know that is why I seem so retarded”
“K no one gets to comment on that”
