Erin Denise Graham Steele
Erin and I have been friends since I can remember. We lived about five minutes away from each other and attended the same school and same church. She will tell you that on the first day of kindergarten I helped her make the letter W so that she could go play and that's when she decided to be my friend.
It's lucky we got along so well because we did just about everything together. We played on the same volleyball team, we were in the same class at church so we did all of our weekly Wednesday night activities together as well as attend the same Sunday class, we went to seminary together, we babysat together, we went to church dances together, we camped together every summer and we saw each other all of the time in school. She has been involved somehow in just about every part of my life so I don't think there is anyone outside of family who knows me as well as she does.
Erin is loud and her laugh is infectious. She is so out-going and friendly and can talk to anyone. I appreciate how different we are, though our hearts are very much the same. She has always been someone I could talk to about anything and she is as open and honest with me too.
One of my favorite things about Erin is her beautiful singing voice. She will call and instead of leaving a message she'll sing the song about apples from our fourth-grade play. I joined the choir my junior year of high school because the choir director asked me too but I told him the only way I would do it was if I could sit next to Erin. I'm not much of a singer but I could follow her and be fine. I smile every time I hear "Orange Colored Sky" because she sang that song with the jazz band senior year and after that was constantly singing it. I used to love to accompany her when she would sing in church.
I am grateful for how much fun Erin has brought into my life. I love talking with her and no one is a better listener, but I really miss playing with her! We loved to sleep over at each other's houses, play ping pong, jump on trampolines, play laser tag, dance, do silly skits, watch movies, do homework together (just ask her mom about our health video from junior year and how funny it is!), go see plays, and talk and laugh and laugh and talk.
We helped each other through boy situations, like when she really wanted to go visit this kid she had a crush on who lived about 40 minutes away so I drove her out to visit him. She was the one who leaned over to me after watching a video in our church class about a young man who truly hungered after truth and knowledge and she said, "Josh is going to get baptized someday" and I scoffed, but she was right. She loves my husband and still calls him Joshua Giraffe, a nickname she gave him in high school. She knows my sisters and my parents and was as comfortable at my house as she was at her own. She now loves my children and right after having my last baby, she came down and spent two days playing with my kids and cooking over 30 meals for me to have on hand.
She is a constant in my life; someone I will always be able to count on. I never have to worry if we're still friends because we haven't talked in awhile or if it will be weird when we do because it never is with Erin. Her open and loving heart has room for everyone and she sticks to her principles and has strong faith. While it might have been easy for us to compete, it was never that way with us; I always felt she was helping me to be better. I feel light and happy when I'm with her and will be forever grateful for my Erin Denise Graham Steele and the amazing positive influence she has had on me.
It's lucky we got along so well because we did just about everything together. We played on the same volleyball team, we were in the same class at church so we did all of our weekly Wednesday night activities together as well as attend the same Sunday class, we went to seminary together, we babysat together, we went to church dances together, we camped together every summer and we saw each other all of the time in school. She has been involved somehow in just about every part of my life so I don't think there is anyone outside of family who knows me as well as she does.
Erin is loud and her laugh is infectious. She is so out-going and friendly and can talk to anyone. I appreciate how different we are, though our hearts are very much the same. She has always been someone I could talk to about anything and she is as open and honest with me too.
One of my favorite things about Erin is her beautiful singing voice. She will call and instead of leaving a message she'll sing the song about apples from our fourth-grade play. I joined the choir my junior year of high school because the choir director asked me too but I told him the only way I would do it was if I could sit next to Erin. I'm not much of a singer but I could follow her and be fine. I smile every time I hear "Orange Colored Sky" because she sang that song with the jazz band senior year and after that was constantly singing it. I used to love to accompany her when she would sing in church.
I am grateful for how much fun Erin has brought into my life. I love talking with her and no one is a better listener, but I really miss playing with her! We loved to sleep over at each other's houses, play ping pong, jump on trampolines, play laser tag, dance, do silly skits, watch movies, do homework together (just ask her mom about our health video from junior year and how funny it is!), go see plays, and talk and laugh and laugh and talk.
We helped each other through boy situations, like when she really wanted to go visit this kid she had a crush on who lived about 40 minutes away so I drove her out to visit him. She was the one who leaned over to me after watching a video in our church class about a young man who truly hungered after truth and knowledge and she said, "Josh is going to get baptized someday" and I scoffed, but she was right. She loves my husband and still calls him Joshua Giraffe, a nickname she gave him in high school. She knows my sisters and my parents and was as comfortable at my house as she was at her own. She now loves my children and right after having my last baby, she came down and spent two days playing with my kids and cooking over 30 meals for me to have on hand.
She is a constant in my life; someone I will always be able to count on. I never have to worry if we're still friends because we haven't talked in awhile or if it will be weird when we do because it never is with Erin. Her open and loving heart has room for everyone and she sticks to her principles and has strong faith. While it might have been easy for us to compete, it was never that way with us; I always felt she was helping me to be better. I feel light and happy when I'm with her and will be forever grateful for my Erin Denise Graham Steele and the amazing positive influence she has had on me.
AWWWWWWWW! I love you!
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