Happy Birthday, Kalun!

I just wanted to do a post about a very good friend of mine who is turning the big 3-0 today.

I've known Kalun now for 10 1/2 years and not only has he been one of the best friends you could ask for, but in a round about sort of way it's him that Matthew and I can thank for the fact that we ever got together.

When I first moved to Orem 10 1/2 years ago and went job hunting, one of the places I went was Papa John's where Kalun happened to be an Assistant Manager. He hired me and my best friend on the spot, and later told me it was because he thought I was cute and hey, who wouldn't want to hire a good-looking girl to work for him? We instantly became good friends and he was someone that I always felt I could go to and talk to about anything.....including having feelings about a certain co-worker.....Matthew Cluff. Well, obviously Matthew and I ended up getting together and getting married......but what would have happened had he never hired me that day???

Over the years we always stayed in touch and hung out every now and then. But when he and Kristi got married 6 years ago, we started hanging out even more. A year into their marriage they built a house in Lehi.....and a few months later so did we, just a few blocks away. A few more months later, Kristi and I were both pregnant....with boys. Then a couple years after that we both had girls. I know we always would have stayed in touch with them without living close to each other, or having kids of the same sex and age.....but those things sure helped. Now we seem to always be doing stuff together just about every weekend, and sometimes in between. We pretty much consider them family, and all of the kids just absolutely love "Uncle Kalun".

I've had plans to do this post for a while now and wanted to scrounge up some old pictures to post.....but I've been so busy lately I didn't ever find the time to do it. But I was able to find some random pictures....they're not that great because it always seems like I'm taking more pictures of the kids than the adults when we get together with the Merrill's (plus, he just recently lost quite a bit of weight and I don't think he'd appreciate me posting some of the pictures I have), but here are a few.

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, KALUN B MERRILL!!!