Love ya doll!

It's that time of year again...travel, turkey, and snowy roads. I feel so blessed that this time of year brings back such wonderful memories of one of the greatest girls I ever knew: Katie (KT) Renville. This year marks the third anniversary of her tragic accident and death. I don't want to get all depressed about it this time around, instead I wanted to write to tell the world that my recollection of and experiences with Katie make me want to live a better life.

I met Katie at my first ever read through for a play at BYU: Grimm Tales. What an excellent play it was. It was the place I really got to know Katie. Katie and I had many laughs as each of us took our turn learning how to drive the van with the trailer. We would go out to The Malt Shop for shakes and had a few sleepovers. Funny that through all this interaction with Katie I never knew so many of her intricacies that are absolutely fascinating. She truly served others. As much as I felt she was one of my best friends, there were many others who were so fortunate as I to say that she was a best friend to them too. She loved freely and openly. She knew how to have fun and she also knew the ethic of work. I don't know anyone who worked as hard as she did. And she excelled at so many things: acting, dramaturgy, directing, friendship, stage managing, school. She put her heart into her work. And, I find it so interesting that half of the things I know about her today I didn't find out about until after she died. It wasn't because she kept them from me. It was my being oblivious. Nowadays, I will think about Katie at least weekly. And every time I ponder her life I realize something else I took for granted while she was here. (I really should have drank out of three straws with her a little more).

One day in our van ride home she looked at me and just said "Debra doll, I love ya." I never even once thought she didn't mean it. I want to live a little more like Katie. I want to work and mean it. I want to love and mean it. I want to laugh and mean it--just like she did.

Katie Doll. Love ya!