Codycoma

Wanna know why I’m the luckiest person on the planet?  Because these girls are my best friends.Jessica, Mindy, Anna.  We really laugh like that. 

We have “Comas” (kid-free, husband-free girl vacays that involve so much R&R you feel like you’re in a coma)  together every other summer.  Our first was two years ago in California.  This summer we went to Cody, Wyoming, Jessica’s beloved home town. 

It started with an 8-hour road trip from Denver to Cody with Anna and Mindy.  Eight hours of uninterrupted, quality girl talk interspersed with food, treats, music and car dancing.  I could have gone for 80.For me, it ended that way too.  Anna hopped on a plane in Cody, but Mindy and I drove back to Denver together.  Again, road trip + best friend – kids = bliss!  Bonus:  I got to spend an extra day in Denver with Mindy and her cute family.   

The beginning and end were great and oh-so-therapeutic.  The middle?  The actual Coma?  We all know how the West was won (well, maybe I didn’t exactly know but thanks to Cody’s Buffalo Bill Museum I do now), but a Codycoma… that’s how the West was fun.

  

 

It wouldn’t be a Coma without hair experiments, spoils from Jessica and punchy-ness around 2AM.

We started a new activity that one can only hope becomes a tradition:  abusing the photo booth app.  Behold the abuse:

 

 

My favorite moment came while listening to live music at The Silver Dollar Bar. I watched each of my best friends shine in her own way and was reminded of just how amazing each is. I was touched when Mindy, in all her thoughtfulness, stopped me outside a boutique, read me and just took care of me. Just when I needed it, just how I needed it. Many times there is no one who knows me better than her. I sat in awe and with pride listening to Jessica sing, laugh and work the crowd. She’s fabulous with music, people and fun. It had been too long since I’d sat back and enjoyed her unique gifts. I was inspired to follow my dreams as I watched Anna identify the unique story of Cody, then quietly, confidently and seemingly effortlessly capture it on film. (The old school kind. She’s legit like that.) Anna impresses and inspires me with just about everything she does. See (one aspect of) her talent here. These three separate friend observations happened within 15 minutes. And I sat there, taking it all in. Under the summer sun, sipping my Coke, while the sum of it all nearly brought me to tears. What did I do to deserve such talented, beautiful, good-to-me friends?

I met Jessica 13 years ago, our first day at BYU.  I met Mindy and Anna 10 1/2 years ago during our semester abroad in London.  As I flew to Denver to begin the Codycoma I couldn’t help but think about my flight to London more than a decade ago.  Jessica was serving an LDS mission.  We didn’t know it yet, but Mindy, Anna and I were about to begin countless adventures abroad.  We all came home and lived together in Provo.  In a way that flight to London was the start of the four of us, which led to best friendships in every possible combination, which eventually resulted in these Comas.  I’m happy we make the efforts and sacrifices to keep in touch and nourish our friendships.  It’s not easy, especially since we’re spread across the country right now.  But it’s worth it.  I’m grateful for both the individual and collective roles these girls play in my life.

I am truly blessed to know them.  They have shaped me and influenced my world forever.  Our friendships are not without fault.  Over the years our dynamics have shifted, changed and evolved.  We’ve had our share of fights, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, rough patches and more.  But we always remain a key part of each other’s lives.  And my how we’ve grown and strengthened through it all.  Love you girls!

Mindy’s Codycoma account here and here.  Anna’s Codycoma account here.