30-Day Photo Challenge Day 26

Day 26 - A picture of someone who means a lot to you

I am incredibly blessed to have so many dear friends in my life. Sooo blessed! But I have to pick Uncle Mikey for this post. Uncle Mike and I go way back. One of my favorite things about our friendship is just that ... we've been friends for going on 19 years, since I was 6 years old. :) I'll never forget the Masterson-Cook get-togethers every week after church. Yeah, there were other families who joined us ... but the Mastersons and the Cooks were the two core families of these get-togethers. And so I've been so blessed to be apart of their family in a lot of ways and for them to be apart of mine. Uncle Mike and Jen and Adam are definitely like a second family to me. Uncle Mike and I have done lots together over the years - in addition to the Masterson-Cook family get-togethers every week ... I've spent tons of time over at Uncle Mike and Jen's house watching movies, eating yummy food, playing the wii, hanging out with the guys (Adam, Jon, Jason, Jarrod) and their honeys (Kristina, Melissa, and Susan), singing and making tracks in Uncle Mike's studio, swimming in their pool, drinking hot chocolate and eating popcorn, watching Chuck, having late-night conversations (usually after Chuck) about fun, serious, and silly things ... and I'm sure I could think of more if I thought long and hard enough about it. We've had many heart-to-heart conversations, and he's told me so many priceless Uncle Mike jokes (if you know him, you know the kind I'm talking about). :) He's taken me out for dinner. We've gone to Southern Gospel concerts before. So many wonderful memories with this dear friend. :)

Uncle Mike is my Chuck buddy, my singin' buddy, someone who never fails to make me laugh and make my day better, and we share a bond that is incredibly special to me. He really is my UNCLE Mikey. And I am so grateful to know him. :)

Favorite Family Ever: Big Brother #2

Hey!!!!!!!!
So it's my friend, Jason's, birthday today ... and he belongs to my "favorite family ever" posts ... so I'm gonna post about him! :D
I posted a long time ago about my big brother, Adam (Jason's cousin), and Jason's fiance, Melissa ... so now, it's Jason's turn. There are still a bunch of people in this family whom I have yet to write about, so stay tuned! I will write about all of them one of these days. :)

Hmm ... where to start with my friend, Jason?
I've known his family since I was a pretty little kid ... but I didn't start to really get to know him until my freshman year of high school. He and Adam were seniors in the youth group and didn't really get involved with youth group until a few months before they graduated. Shortly after Jason graduated from high school, he got involved with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). He went to a country called Azer Byzuan (and yes, wow! I butchered that spelling!). While he was there, I remember I wrote him a letter ... just to encourage him and let him know I was praying for him. He wrote me a couple of e-mails during his trip ... and we started really building a friendship. When he got back, I remember him saying something to the affect of ... "Mical, your letter was really amazing. It was so awesome to get mail I could actually touch and to be reminded that someone was praying for me." His thank you was an incredible gift to me. Since then, Jason and I have become good friends.

There's a running joke that he and the rest of the Cooks/Adamsons gang (my favorite family in the world) are considered the "B" team among my group of friends (Higher Ground folks taking the "A" team spot). In reality (and I think he knows this deep down), they are all the "A" team because they are all amazing friends. He just likes to give me a hard time.
Actually, Jason Michael Adamson giving Mical Lynn Masterson a hard time? That is the foundation of our friendship. And I love it that way. In his own way, it tells me that he cares about me. (Yeah, that's probably backwards ... but not with Jason.) :)

There's another running joke that he's a big jerk. He puts off the jerk vibe as a front sometimes ... but really? He's a genuine, fun-loving, committed, all-around great guy. :)

Actually, Jason is one of my favorite guys ever. :) He's like a second big brother in a lot of ways. He's definitely toward the top of my "godliest guys ever list," and I appreciate him way more than he knows. He's a guy who stands by his convictions and is committed to his walk with the Lord. He's really good at calling people out when they are out of line. And I mean that in a good way. If we're playing football and getting way too competitive (bad attitudes), he's usually the one who brings us back. ... He's part of the problem at times too. (;)) Who isn't? But he's good about calming us down. I remember this one time I got all worked up because Melissa was beating me on every cut (again), and I was getting really frustrated with myself ... letting out some "Mical frustration grunts" and the like .... I was leaned over, and I remember Jason coming over, patting me on the back, grabbing my head and putting his head on mine and saying, "Hey, it's alright. Don't worry about it." ..... It may seem like a small gesture. I'm sure he doesn't remember it a bit. But it was huge to me. I really look up to Jason. I think oober highly of him. And he's like a big brother to me. So for him to remind me to keep my head in that way was huge. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever forget it.

Jason's just a really great guy. I hope he knows how much I love and appreciate him ... on his birthday and everyday. :)

Favorite Family Ever: My Big Brother! :)

Hmm ... remember that "Favorite Family Ever" post I left a long time ago?  It was about my friend, Melissa. ..... "Bumblebee."  Is that ringing a bell?  If not, check out my "Favorite Family Ever" posts on the left hand side of my blog sometime and read the bumblebee story. :)  Well, when I wrote that post, I meant to continue on with stories about my favorite family in the world ... the Cooks/Adamsons gang. :)  For those who don't know, this "gang" is a group of friends from my #1 church family, Calvary Chapel. :) ..... I've known "Uncle" Mike and Jen Cook and their son, Adam, since the first day we started going to church at Calvary ... wow ... almost 16 years ago.  Wow!  They and our family are pretty close.  The Adamsons are Adam's cousins, and we've pretty much known them about as long.  Anyway.  They are a group of absolutely hilarious folks!  They constantly brighten my days.  It is such a blessing to call them my church family.  And over the years, they have become kind of a second family to me ... hence, UNCLE Mike. :)

Well, my next family member story is about Adam. :)  He's been my "big brother" for as long as I can remember.  I have lots of stories about Adam.  He has been one of my longest friends.  He stands right next to Mags on my "longest friends" list.  Adam and Maggie were the two I met first when my family started going to Calvary Chapel. :) .... Well, okay.  On to Adam.  Where should I start? ...... Hmm ....

Adam was my first crush.  Yeah ... I was 8.  My family and his family hung out every Sunday night and Wednesday night after church.  He, my brother, Wes, and I played video games in his bedroom .... Adam played the drums and I sang at worship team practices.  Adam and I played basketball together a lot.  What can you expect? .... Ha! .... But those were before the "big brother" days, so don't get freaked out. ;) ....

Adam has ALWAYS been one of those "pick me up" guys in my life.  Always.  He is amazingly encouraging.  Encouragement is most certainly one of his spiritual gifts.  He is really good at figuring out when people are down .... never hesitating to head over and talk with them ... and NEVER lacking the talent to make them laugh.  He just lives and breathes encouragement.  He walks into a room, and people immediately start "feeling better."  I'm serious!  He's just one of those rare people ... a pick me up ... and he doesn't even have to try. :)  And he is absolutely hilarious!  He makes me laugh more than anyone in the entire world!  No joke!  And, as you all know, laughter is my middle name. :) .... Just the other day (Sunday after church), Adam called me over and said something to the affect of .... "Mike, you are one of those people who is happy all the time.  Does it just come naturally to you? ... It is a rare thing. .... Ya know, I know a lot of people, but you are at the top.  You are always joyful and you laugh a lot.  It's a good thing." ... Again ... not exactly ... but that was the basic message.  It was a great chat.  But then, it's always fun to be complimented, isn't it? ;) .... But yeah!  Adam is always doing that.  He is constantly pulling me aside to make me laugh or to compliment me.  He's an amazing encouragement to me, that's for sure!!!

One story about Adam sticks out in my mind ... I'll never forget it. :) ....... He, my friend, Jon, (his cousin), and I used to play basketball together all the time.  We'd head out to the basketball court behind the church and play almost every Sunday night after youth group/small group ... and sometimes, they would come over to my house and play on our basketball court.  Well, one Saturday afternoon, Adam and Jon called me up and asked if they could come over to hang out.  We ended up spending the whole afternoon together. :)  My brother tagged along for part of the day .... and it was just me and the guys. :)  By this time, I had a huge crush on my friend, Jon, and Adam was pretty much my favorite person in the whole world, so it was a day I'll never forget. ;)  It was pretty great ... no doubt about it! .... We rode go-carts in our backyard; we swam in our pool; we played basketball.  A great day! :) .... So while we were playing basketball ... just shooting around really (you can't do much with three people) ... we were chatting a bit.  I don't remember what we talked about .... but the part of the conversation I will NEVER forget was simple but oh, so important to me.  Adam said, "So Jon ... did you know that Mike is my little sister?  She is.  I'm her big brother.  She's my little sister.  So that means she's kind of your little sister too, which means you can pick on her too." .... Ha ha!  See.  I told you it was simple. ;)  But really, it was huge!  Adam isn't the "touchy-feely" kind of guy, as I call 'em ... and he doesn't just say things to say 'em.  So for him to "announce" me as his sister meant the world to me!  He took the big brother stuff seriously, and that made my heart leap!  Yep ... I'm a sappy girl .... my heart leaps when I get excited about stuff. ;)  Since then ... Adam has been my big brother.  He is one of my all-time favorite guys!  He is, as he likes to call himself, my "prescription."  No matter what I'm up to ... if I'm sad or excited, he comes along and gives me a boost.  He's my laughter medicine.  My pick me up prescription.  A great joy in my life! :)  I love him to death!

So yeah ..... that's my big brother!!!! :D  See why he's apart of my favorite family ever?! :D 

Favorite Family Ever: Bumblebee

Alright. So I've waited long enough to talk about some special friends. My favorite family in the world - the Cooks/Adamsons gang! :) This family has been a sense of comfort, friendship, and humor in my life for the past 15 years (since we started going to Calvary back in 1993). They are some of my favorite people ever!

So my first story (or couple of stories) is about my friend, Melissa. I've only known Melissa for a year or so, but she is apart of this amazing family (Jason's fiance - you'll hear about Jason in later posts). :) Melissa is one of the sweetest people I know! Crazy competitive! Fun, cute, and kind. Two of my favorite memories of Melissa involve an encouraging talk and the word "bumblebee."

This past summer I went to the Wheeler Mission (now the Shepherd Church) camp with James ... we were hanging out with crazy and loved inner city kids for three days. James really needed some more guys to help, so I asked Jason to come along. And since Jason and Melissa are attached (:)), Melissa came along in the afternoons when she got off work. Melissa, Emily, and I were taking some downtime from the kids one night at camp. We were talking in an empty room in one of the cabins. I don't remember how this conversation started, but Melissa started talking about how she and Jason thought I was a great person. I wish I could remember the context. But she said something to the affect of "When Jason and I know you like someone or are friends with them, we agree they must be pretty cool people. We hold them to your standards." ... It wasn't a long conversation - something short within the bigger conversation - but it made my night. I think a lot of Jason and Melissa, so for them to love and accept me and even think I'm a good judge of character, is a great encouragement!

And the bumblebee. This story is amazingly simple but oh, so fun! ... So ... I laugh a lot. A LOT! If you know me well, you can vouch for this! My friend Adam (also a member of the Cooks/Adamsons gang) says that one of my "spiritual" gifts is laughter. Ha! Ha! .... I can't help it. Laughing is pretty much my favorite thing to do. But anyways ... Christina Adams (a great girl from my youth group), along with many other people, get a huge kick out of my constant laughter. Especially the fact that I'll laugh at just about anything - it doesn't take much for me to get going! ;) So Christina, Melissa, I, and the rest of the SoZo gang, were at youth group one Sunday night this summer, and I was laughing (just as much, if not more than usual). So Christina and Melissa called me over from across the room ... they wanted me to laugh at something obscure and ridiculous. I walked over, and Melissa said, "Hey, Mical. ... Bumblebee." I kind of stood there for a second, gave them a weird look, and then laughed. They were both excited to see that saying some random word made me laugh. They started laughing too. (See! Laughing is a good thing - it's contagious!) My new nickname for Melissa is bumblebee. Good times. .... So yeah ... a simple story ... but fun.

Melissa is a pretty fun gal. I'm glad we're friends. :)