My friend Julie is very conservative.

Like, she had to wear the prairie dresses when she lived with her family. Even as an adult.

Now that she's broken free, some things are changing. She still is pretty conservative, but there's a twinkle in her eye and a few surprises. The compare & contrast is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...

Just for laughs, she bought a $1 thong at a cheapo store and left it in the bathroom at a party some boys from CHURCH were throwing.

She won't drink alcohol right now because she's on a diet that doesn't allow it.

She sent an e-mail to me that said I had "hell to pay" !!! HELL!

She brings board games to our girl-nights and is nothing but clean fun.

She called our surrogate community group leader "dumb Devon"!! (he gave away one of her pranks on accident).

Her first question about any boy we might recommend to her is, "does he really love Jesus?"

After our other girlfriend got rowdy and too bratty the other night, Julie didn't say a word, but just kept smiling sweetly. It wasn't until we were riding home together that she told me she'd hidden our girlfriend's keys before she left!

She did a Bible study on fear, and learned to bravely walk away from the fear and judgemental spirit she was taught in her ultraconservative family.

She doesn't talk badly about her family, or look like a "homeschooler rebel" who has gone off the deep-end just to compensate. She visits them, and respects them, but . . .  she definitely giggles as she now gets to listen to Newsboys or oldies while driving in her car, as much as she wants! She says, "yeah, I just don't tell them any more because they won't understand."

She still wears a dress when she goes to visit them.

She's got a crush on this guy at church, and while she doesn't say a whole lot in groups to anyone, when he came walking by she took a big breath and struck up a conversation with him.

I LOVE Julie!