yelling without sound.

I want to introduce you to a very special lady.

DEANNA MATCHULLIS!!


(she really likes this picture because her hair is long).
It's hard to know what to say, really.
I'd like to find a song to sum up Deanna, but that'd be tough.

One day, after repclass (that's when all my voice teacher's students get together and sing), Dee said "hey, keats camps, my youth pastor spoke there." (I was wearing a Keats Shred Shed shirt that day).

Long story short, his name is Andy, he did indeed speak at keats, and thus Deanna and I were friends.

That day, I think, I saw her walking home...in front of my house...and it turns out she lives 2 doors down! WHAT!?

This lead to adventures in...buying Cinnamon Toast Crunch @ safeway. Dee found this HUGE box, so I bought it, and then I would bring her a bowl every now and then, just to say hi. This also started the ritual of me knocking on her window when I came over...sort of freaked her out, but it was fun nonetheless.

It's because of Deanna that I became a part of the Amazing Race pool (our team, the Godlewski Sisters, totally lost...ugh), and the brilliant succession of Tuesday nights that have highlighted this semester.

Through Deanna I met Mary-ann, Evie, Mel, Steph, Adelle, Andrew, Mike...Reane, Dee's family, River of Life church, Lindsey, IVCF...
and on and on and on and on...

When I met her, I thought about how, being new here, I was really at the mercy of anyone to decide to accept and love me, or to turn me away. She decided to love me, and so did many of the people she introduced me to...the landscape of my life here would look radically different had she not first welcomed me.

*phew*


(Clockwise from top: Melanie Schaan, Evie Taekema, Mary-ann Leitch, Deanna Matchullis).

Deanna's just pretty much what you could call rad.

She likes Strongbad, and my old Ukranian baba accent (shout out to chonger?)...
aaand....she's been an amazing friend to me here.

Dee...thanks for everything. You made my life here worth coming back to. Love you.