(Matthew) - Well let's just say the person that made college just as amazing as it could be. The most creative and talented person I know. I may never toast a bagel properly, but, because of her I know how. Haha! The absolute best travel companion that has, at times, thrown me into the deep end away from my comfort zone. And I couldn't thank her more. She was the perfect competition in school, which has definitely made me the chef I am today. I can't wait to see where we travel to next. You make life an adventure Jess...

(James) - Will was one of the first people I met when interviewing for Williams Middle School, my first thought was "tall". I would soon discover that he was also intelligent, funny, and one of the best friends a person could ask for. It's a rare delight when a "work-friend" becomes a true friend, but that is precisely what I was lucky enough to have happen with will; and a short time later, with his amazing wife Laura...

(James and Matthew) - After meeting Laura it's immediately apparent just how lucky Will is. A truly exceptional person we are so grateful to have met. She exhibits all of the same qualities as will with the lovely addition of the ability to plan, haha! Like the thought that hmm maybe we should call a restaurant during a pandemic to see if they're open before driving an hour to said restaurant, you know things like that... P.S. from Matthew - Seriously if it weren't for Laura I'm not sure what would happen to Will, but I know Jim and I would be missing out on one of the kindest and most compassionate people we know...

(Matthew) - One of my best friends from all the way back in Kindergarten! We've gone from "girls have cooties" to "damn he's cute". When you have someone like Malissa in your life for as long as I have you can't help but think of her as family. There isn't anything I wouldn't trust this crazy lady with. We've been through it all. It's been a crazy quarter of a century here's to the next...

(Matthew) - What can I say about this wonderful woman. She came into my life when I needed her most, I'm not much for fate or destiny but this was as close as it gets. From a few incredibly humid, but spectacular hikes to a trip to Broadway that has started a rather expensive addiction to theater we have been through a lot together. Its been a rollercoaster over the years and I know I will always want to ride with one of the strongest people I know...

(James) - Tony and I both started at Williams Middle School around the same time. I was initially glad they had a new band teacher, because he was significantly taller than his predecessor, with whom I'd been confused with often. As I got to know Tony better, I found we have a similar sense of humor; something needed in a colleague and especially in a friend...

(James and Matthew) - I first met Chris during a writing seminar at WSU. It was a pretty personal class due to the nature of the writing, and the class as a whole got to know each other pretty quickly. I was immediately struck by the raw honesty and emotional resonance of Chris’ writing. As a result of a writing exercise, I mentioned that I was running a tabletop campaign, and he mentioned he and his wife had been looking to get back into tabletop gaming, and our friendship deepened from there... P.S. from Matthew - I have to second the sentiment about Chris' writing. I was lucky enough to read some of the papers Jim brought home from class and the depth and emotion Chris could write with truly blew me away. I felt I knew him before I ever met him...

(James and Matthew) - We were lucky enough Chris wanted to join our tabletop group let alone his lovely wife. Meeting Maggie made it immediately clear we were adding another great couple to our group. And we watched as that couple turned from two to four with the addition of two wonderful boys. The love and warmth in their family is readily apparent to any observer, and we are lucky to count them among our friends... P.S. from Matthew - I have never learned so much about training dogs, showing dogs, or picking some pretty awesome names for dogs until I met Maggie. It's true the way people interact with animals is a perfect window into how warm an giving they are; and this was no more true than with Maggie...

(James and Matthew) - I met Nicole during my first week of freshman year in college, and we were largely inseparable for the better part of the four years that followed. We were often confused for being either related or dating, which speaks to our near-ubiquity of being a form of long distance conjoined twins. There is more than a chance of me having been lost in a foreign city, never to be heard from again, if it weren't for Nicole. Some connections stay as strong as ever, despite time and distance, and I'm lucky that this one made that list... P.S. from Matthew - Nicole was the first "Friend Test" I made it through when I began dating James. Hopefully I've passed, haha! I knew the way in which Jim cared for his friends was an indicator to just what an amazing guy he is...

(James and Matthew) - Kevin and I first met as part of an internship at the WSU Reading and Writing Center. After getting to know each other, we realized we had been tangentially interacting for years, Sliding Doors style. We had attended the same parochial school and the same public high school within years of each other. It also eventually came to light I had unwittingly made him an accomplice in convincing a bunch of nuns I was in fact colorblind. I mean really what else are friends for... P.S. from Matthew - If Nicole was "Friend Test #1" Kevin was definitely "Test #2". The fact that I met them on the same night wasn't nerve wracking at all; just one heck of an exam...