LOL -- that means laugh out loud

when i was up in canada last week, i found a box of old letters and emails (yes... i used to print my emails... you can laugh, but it's cool to have them now!)... and it was seriously hilarious. i found myself laughing out loud all alone in my parents spare room (note: haven't had a designated room at the parentals place in something like 11 years... sad days). so, reading old letters and emails was awesome. almost therapeutic, if you will. the emails were hilarious, because not only did my friends and i email each other about 50 times a day (like prehistoric long form chatting), but we used our parents email addresses because it was before the days of free hotmail accounts (among others). so we would write in code so our parents couldn't see what we were saying (not that what we were saying was of any consequence... it was just fun to do). and the best part was the discovery of, what would be considered today, commonly used internet chatter... for example, here are some direct quotes:

" :) -- that's a sideways smiley face"

"LOL -- that means laugh out loud"

because i didn't already feel old! anyway, i have boxes and boxes of letters and notes and emails from back in the day. i literally have notes all folded up like ninja stars from 6th grade. why, you ask? because i have a problem. :) but seriously, there's something so great about sitting down for a couple of hours and reading the kind of random crap you used to say in 6th grade. "later dude... that is so radical... NOT... oh he is soooo cute" HAHA. i have notes and letters that were basically well-documented brawls between girlfriends. i have a handful of emails that were essentially virtual break-ups. i even have a box of letters I WROTE that i either never sent or made copies of for some strange psychotic reason. so... it was fun. entertaining to say the least. makes me miss my friends who are far away and appreciate more the friends who are close by. i truly have been blessed with great friends. GREAT friends. people who drop anything for their friends. people who can make you laugh until you cry. people who tell it like it is and make you a better person. people who walk into a room and make you want to burst with excitement because you just love them so much! both old friends and new friends and old friends who reappear... the Lord continually brings the most amazing people into my life. anyway, reading old letters, emails, notes... even my crazy embarrasing journals (wow)... one of my favorite things to do. hilarious stories, funny memories, sad moments, totally embarrasing boy-crazy moments... it's just fun to realize all the work that has gone in to making us all who we are. glad you're all a part of my insanity! :)