Juli Bauer is MY Best Friend

Hey there bloggies, it Laurs. Came to say what up, tell you about the little Ju Boo. She asked me to write a post and I was like f*ck it. So here we go….

It is 10pm, I am lying in bed, writing this post after watching the Bachelorette. OK, I get it, stop making fun of the fact that it is 10pm and I am in bed. I had to sneak away after the show since I am too “tired” to stay awake in order to write you this lovely post. Also, I had to run away and hide from the chocolate almonds in the kitchen that are calling out my name. You can always count on Ju for bringing back what you really wanted from Whole Foods even though all I actually said to get was an apple. Who really only wants an apple from Whole Foods? A liar, that’s who. If you were being honest you would say you want the entire bulk aisle, in your kitchen, all day, every day.

The real point is that I have been closer to Ju for the past 6 years than anyone else. We have been through high points and low points. We have dealt with the stress of college, breakups, weight gain, acne, boys, life, you name it. But we have also been there for the great things as well. Living together once again, graduating college, switching to Paleo, starting Crossfit, Regionals, Triathlons, dancing on bars.

Ju has been by my side and I hope to have been by hers. She doesn’t understand how I never get bored when I go to Regionals, stay everyday with her, and cheer her on. What she doesn’t get is that it is nowhere near boring for me. I have seen her cry during muscle ups, try and fail numerous times at the 70 pound dumbbell, work on her pull-ups day after day that seeing her accomplish so much in three days is beyond words. I got into Crossfit because of her. She inspires me everyday to go into the gym and try harder than I did yesterday. Am I going to PR on my snatch by 10 pounds in a day? Probably not. But seeing that she did give me hope and a fight to want to be better.

Wanting to get better at Crossfit is just one thing that I have learned from Juli, but mostly, I have learned the want to please others. Juli spends a lot of her time trying to please others. Whether that means cooking my favorite dessert for me because I am in a bad mood, or picking up chocolate covered almonds because they are my favorite, or cheering me on when I am failing in a workout. I can always look to her for support when I am feeling down and for a laugh when all I really want to do is cry. Juli is my support, my motivation, but most of all my best friend.

What classifies someone as a best friend? Is it someone who listens to your sh*t, sits and eats chocolate with you when you have had a bad day, dances with you around the kitchen to get you out of a funk, goes to Whole Foods with you when they don’t need anything, but still goes so you don’t have to be alone, or someone who inspires you, motivates, and encourages you on a daily basis? Well luckily, my best friend does all of the above, and damn do I feel lucky!

We have all gone through our fair share of friends through the years, encountered the ones that stab you in the back, the friendships that ended due to pure distance apart, or the friendships that merely just fade away. When you find a friendship that sticks, one that you have had for years, one that you know will not fade out or separate by distance, hold on to that, because they are few and very far between.

Ju and I started our friendship back in the good ol’ days of freshman year of college. Back when we lived in the dorms, were dating guys that lived way to far away, and contemplating going to a different school to be closer to them. Yep, when you are 18, you will do anything for a guy. Glad we had each other to talk us off that ledge. Soon after we met, we both started working at the Rec Center on campus as lifeguards. Yes, the two of us were in charge of lives, I know frightening. What is even worse is soon we became instructors. Just think, if you have kids, we could have taught them to save lives. It’s cool, you are welcome, and we gladly accept money.  Then I left for Italy. Studied abroad there for four months. During this time is when we decided to take the leap of faith and live together. I know, big moves. Just kidding guys, geesh, we are friends, get your heads out of the gutter.

Senior year of college was the best of my life. I grew closer to Juli, we partied, we sat in our “random” room and watched E! channel for no real reason, and practiced handstands in our lawn.

That year lead us through a plethora of men. Well for me mainly, Ju was busy being in a relationship and sh*t.  She was there for me through it all. The tears, the lying, the yelling, the breakups. Let’s just say, I dated some real d*bags. But she was there through it all. Just as I was there for her when she went through the same thing less than a year later.Dealing with breakups, liars, cheats, and everything in between is hard. But having a friend there makes it bearable. They know when to get you chocolate covered walnuts, make you go out when you feel like crying, and telling you to audition for the bachelor. True story, Ju thinks this would be a good idea for me. Am I gonna do it?! F*ck no, those girls are crazy and I can’t handle conflict. But if I did, I know she would be there to cheer me on.

Everyday Juli inspires me to try harder than I did the day before, to give it all I got, stay true to who I am, be confident in my skin, and has given me the motivation to keep trying when I feel like giving up. She has helped me get through hard times not only in the gym, but in life. I am proud to call her MY best friend. Sergio, it’s ok, she can be your best friend too, I mean, you did bring us girl items to deal with our monthly gift, only a true friend would do that. Especially if they are male. Boom.