Travis

There's someone that I've been meaning to give ode to for quite sometime. Travis Willson. I think he just might be my biggest fan. He's the reason why this exists, he talks to me regularily and asks about my new life and helps me look for airplane tickets! Not to mention, he cleans bathrooms and is one of the only true respectful, delightful, intelligent, and lovely true gentlemen I've met. Travis and I go way back, further back then most of the people I call my best friends at present.

Waaaaay back in the day: IE- 4th grade for me, 2nd for Trav (I think?), I remember sitting on the swings at our babysitter's house, Judy's, and listening to Ace of Base on my diskman. Diskman's were rare at the time. He would take one headphone, I would take the other and we would spend however long we friggin' felt like listening to Ace of Base, or until the batteries ran out. Life got the best of us, and we moved in seperate directions: I left for middle school, Travis was younger and stayed behind. I saw him in middle school and high school sporadically, but we never really hung out. (All of that wasted time, Trav!)

I had just finished my junior year of college and I remember waking up, hung over, and calling Fox Run to let them know when I was coming back through and asking to be scheduled. Suz answered the phone and said "Oh, Catrina, we've got some people here that know you and are just starting." I couldn't begin to guess who and I finally made her tell me, "Do you know Travis Willson and Britney Stanton?" I remember jumping up off of the couch and yelling into the phone, "Are you seious?! That's awesome!!!" I drove back home that next day with the thought in my head that the coming summer was going to be an awesome one, and I was right. Very very right. That summer, mostly due to Travis and Brett, oh and my 21st birthday, was my favorite to date. I will probably try and re-create it from now on, but will most likely fail. Travis and I spent the days we had off together going out wine tasting. My favorite activity! It was the summer that I learned to listen to my senses, trust myself! Undoubtedly due partly to these trips with Travis! Trav seemed just as excited as me about wine, and that was good to find, especially in a boy. I needed someone to outlet my excitement to, and I couldn't have asked for a better partner in crime! Cheers to that FABULOUS summer. :-)

Trav and I have remained pretty close friends since then. I'm grateful to have him. He's fresh perspective, but a lovely one. He sent me an email/letter the morning before I left for Oz that made me feel very good in a moment where I was very uncertain. I'm lucky!

I was telling him that when he left for Germany this year and met a fabulous German girl, all of us girls at Fox Run would be very sad. Very sad because we wouldn't get to marry him! And girls, I know you'd have my back on this one, it's TRUE.

Good people deserve ode, especially good guys, as they are increasingly rare. :-)

Keep on being Trav, Trav. :-)

PS-- Thanks to the SPECIAL people who sent me American flags. They're gorgeous. I just need to figure out how to hang them. :-)