Here is my disclaimer: I do not profess to be a perfect speller. If it's wrong and you can't figure it out....... sound it out and if you still don't get it then..... stop reading. You don't know me well enough to figure it out.
Just wanted to talk a little about friends. There is nothing like finding a good girl- friend. Someone that will talk to you for hours about nothing and everything. Someone you can call up at a moments notice to go grab lunch, or a diet vanilla coke with little ice from Sonic. (best drink place ever) I have found only a handful of people who can tolerate my straight forward personality over the years. So, this is an ode to those handful of best friends.
To Jamie Wall (Cole): She moved in during the summer. Her mom and dad were teaching at the DoDDs school in Soesterberg Holland. I have to admit at first it was her brother Justin that caught my eye. Hey, he was hot. (still is I'm sure) None the less we hit it off from the start. Hung out all that summer helping get the school ready for the coming year. I remember once we were sitting in the bowling alley, just in front of the school, We were laughing so hard milk actually came out of Justin's nose. Sleep overs and Football trips. Talking about boys. Gossiping about girls. She put up with me, all my faults and stuck up for me when I am sure i didn't deserve it. And even put up with my crush on her brother. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding 13 years ago but, we have since only been in touch a few times.
To Marcie Frost: She was the first best friend of my married life. We met at what was called then Homemaking at our church. Found out we lived in the same apartment complex. And it went from there. We both had children that were close in age. We liked to scrapbook (she planted the love of paper crafts seed), play games with other couples, and just generally hang out. She and another friend Cynthia Milligan taught me the importance of having "girls night outs". She taught me that your kids should come first and if you have a little girl to do her hair everyday no matter if you are staying home all day or not. Her and I kinda had a falling out later in our friendship but, still keep tabs once in a while. She is such a wonderful woman. A great example of a mother and wife. All go all the time.
To Tana Howard: To tell you the truth I don't really remember how we started hanging out. Weird. What I do know is that she taught me strength. She fell in love with and married a man that had been married before and had two kids from one marriage and one from another. She herself had 2 kids from her marriage. Tana never once gave the impression that his kids were not hers. Unconditional love. She knew she met the one man for her and went for it. They are sealed in the temple now and have had one child of their own. Through the hard financial times she worked to help the best she could. Never once complaining about the hard work she had to do. Her husband is the most determined man I know. Always working make things perfect for his family and for Tana. She started me on the path of physical health too. Met me early in the morning to go to the gym and work out. Pushed me to do it every morning. We went out on double dates, BBQed just about every weekend. Chip also connected well with her husband which made hanging out even better. We were at their house just about all the time. Any who....As far as I know they are happy. She is happy. She is a strong woman. Great example to me of dedication.
To Shayla Campbell: Not sure if she goes by Campbell or not still. Maybe she will find myspace and let me know. I met Shayla through a mutual friend. (Sarah Davis whom we knew in Las Vegas before moving to Okinawa) Any who... We moved to Oki right before and i mean 3 days before Thanksgiving. Shayla was so willing to open her home to our family. She had a little boy, Phoenix, the same age as Mason so we both had little babies. Shayla was (and still is I'm sure) an awesome cook. Alot of my moms recipes were replaced with hers or some of them anyway. Like her White bread. When I get ambitious, rarely, I don't use anyone elses recipe. Her and I spent many days together with the kids playing. Her husband and mine worked the same job and had alot in common so, again we hung out with them. Every holiday was spent with them. From my friendship with Shayla I learned to stick with my principles and be brave. She and her husband were going through a really hard time. He was SO not making the best choices. Not respecting her as a wife and not respecting their marriage. She tried, tried so hard to work with him. Shayla, though hard, ended up leaving him. Back to the states she went with 3 kids. Three kids on your own. Still finishing up school. Because she knew what was right and how her children should be raised. And to be honest. I don't know where she is today. If she is remarried. If she has had any more children or if she got her degree. But, Shayla has made an impression on me forever.
To Brandi Koltermann: The bright light to a gloomy day. The Up to my Down. The Ying to my Yang. My true sole sista! From day one Brandi oozzed cheerfullness. We connected right away. Never a dull moment with her. Always on the go. From Brandi I learned (well, still learn from her) Superwomanly (is that a word) powers. TEE HEE. She had 4 kids, three one after the other. Her husband has a demanding job in the Army and was/is gone alot! (most of the year a single mom) She is a survivor of Melinoma Cancer. She plays the piano. Cooks up a mean batch of bean dip. Always had/has time to do her calling the best it can be done. Oh! her smile is infectious. She smiles and you can't help, even if in a bad mood, smiling back at her. She taught me the differnce between "Childrens food" and "Adult food". Dang, She taught me if she can do it... Well, I better get off my butt and do it! It seems funny to say but, from her I learned to fully love and appreciate my kids. She always had time for hers, yours, the neighbors... everyones kids. And if she was going somewhere; Brandi would take them all with her. I spent several nights hanging out at her house with Chelsy (talk about her in a sec..) and other gals talking about EVERYTHING. Sometimes laughing 'til it hurt or you cried. Sometimes both. When it would get a little too late for her she would just curl up on the couch doze off, so we thought. We would say something and when we thought she was asleep she would make a comment. Too funny! We had many holiday dinners at her house. She would say after that next time we won't have as much food. (LOL) Our families (Chelsy's too) hung out alot. Game nights. Holidays. Birthdays. Just because. Their family was our family in Okinawa. I remember times she and I would be on the phone right up to the second she or I would leave to go to the others house just to chat more. Any who... is a phrase I got from her and will use it just because when I do I see her in my head. She introduced me to Stampin' Up and now I am addicted. (thank you! I know I am a bad DL!) Oh! I love her like a sister and will forever be in her debt. She has given me more that I have given her. Brandi... I love you to death! And miss you tons!
To Chelsy Daugherty: So, the first time I met Chelsy I had invited her and her family over for dinner. Never met her. Never met her family. Our BP mentioned in a meeting we were having that a family had just moved in and they needed fellowshiping or something. (don't remember the exact words.) Well, I did something I have never done before. (I think it was Brandi rubbing off on me.) I called them up and invited them over for dinner. I'm trying to get the facts right here. I think chip was not there... don't know where he was. And I was pregnant with Charlie at the time.... She will correct me if I'm wrong. Well, that was the begining of a beautiful friendship. Her oldest and my youngest were the same age and hit it off right away. When they got a house it was litteraly just up the hill from us. Her and I were and still are home bodies. (takes the necessities to get us out of the house sometimes.) You would think that would be a bad combo. Nope. The phone works! It sounds funny but, we would spend alot of time on the phone.. I know she was just up the street get out and go see her. Well, it worked for us. Chelsy is so in tune with the Spirit. I can remember her mentioning when we first met that she and Sean had been praying about the car they were going to get. At the time I thought.... OK! But, came to reolize that was something I was missing out on in my life. She is an example to me of Faith. Some people take a long time to get something. Ya know line upon line. Well, for me it is upon line, upon line, upon line.... I'm a slow learner. Any who... Chelsy is grounded. Knows who she is. What she wants. Where she wants to be. She has this matter of factness in what she says. She says things because she knows them to be true. Like the Koltermanns their family was our family in Oki. We all were together most of the time. Sean would bring his BBQ to what ever house we were at. remember? I am still trying to learn from her. Hope to one day get all she has to teach me. Chelsy, I Love you! And miss you tons!
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