Monday, July 11, 2011

Do old friendships ever really die?

Today I was thinking about my friend Tammy. What is amazing to me about Tammy, is that we seem to be a lot alike. I read her posts on facebook and she seems so much to be like me in loving her kiddos and the people that are important to her. That can be said about many people in my life... right... that is how we work, we are attracted to people that we enjoy being around, which often times are a lot like us. Now, I do have some friends that are so different than I am, but they bring out a side of me that is not seen often... or not at all... but, they are always kind and caring people. I love kind... and I love... caring. That is what I like. I like people that I can laugh so hard with that I have tears running down my face. I NEED THAT.

What surprises me, however, is that Tammy... and I... have not been in the same room since fifth grade when we were in Ms. Berry's, or Ms. Barry's, or was her name Ms. Barry, as she was going to be getting married. I am not sure if her name was Barry and she was going to be getting married or if it was something else and Barry would be her married name. ykwim? She is the one teacher I did not make a connection with at that young age of my life... oh no... Mrs. Nick as well... she was unkind and really mean to the kids... but... Well... hmmmm... Mrs. Barry was her name at some point. We, were in the fifth grade. That summer, I moved to Spokane, so I have not seen her since.

Isn't it funny how people can touch our lives in a BIG way even when we are younger... can you imagine?

I was Seventh Day Adventist when I was best friends with Tammy in the 4th grade. I was in awwwwww of Tammy and I wanted to be her! SMILE. Her sister, I think her name was Lori, and Tammy were great friends. They were blond. They were pretty. They had horses. They got to wear lip gloss. They got to dance. They got to watch cartoons on Saturday mornings. TAMMY, had her ears pierced... insert large gasp here!!!! and a big wink to you Tammy. She had a collection of Bonnie Bell Lipglosses. She and Stephanie Stephens or Stephenson, (I forget the last name) bought me a butternut Bonnie Belle lipgloss. Then they were HUGE... not cute little ones. Kind of like how the cell phone had evolved... yeh... like that. AND....Tammy got to wear HASH JEANS... and STAR JEANS... and she got to also... carry one of those big ass combs in the back pocket... the ones that looked like one of the tropical swirl life savers. JEALOUSY from WENDY!!!!

Tammy got to spend the night at my house one night... and my dad was at work. Somehow... and God only knows how... but I talked my mom into letting Tammy teach me the HUSTLE! YOU GOT IT... the SDA girl learning how to dance... oh my... what a sinner I became that very night... no ands, ifs or buts about it... I was going to go to hell for sure.

I go to Tammy's page now... and... I love to look at the photos of her family... of her life... of her husband. I am so proud of her that she has turned into a wonderful woman, a great wife and the best mom.

I can't wait til we get to spend a great weekend together. I can't wait to make more memories with her and just laugh... the kind of laughs you do in the fifth grade where it is ok to be silly and not care who hears you laugh.

We can talk about banana seat bicycles, Mike Elliot's robot he made in the fourth grade... riding the bus with the red head we teased my brother about being in love with. We can talk about the peanut butter they served on the rolls at Davis Elementary School, and about Shawn Cassidy, as we both loved the guy with the best feathered hair.

To you Ms. Tammy... I don't tell you enough... but I love you... and you touched my life in ways you will never know....

Blessings on this journey....

5 comments:

  1. I don't think friendships die.Throu friends always live somewhere inside you and they leave marks in your everyday doing without you noticing it.I also sometimes wonder what became of some of my friends ,how they look like..and if they remmber me.Friendshi if unconditional is like a rare juweel.Cherish it if you are lucky enough to find it;)

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  2. This is Tammy. Wendy, I love you like a sister and always knew we would reconnect. You meant the world to me in 5th grade and you still do. I'm so very, very glad I have you as one of my dearest friends, "even though we haven't seen each other in years", our connection is as strong now as it was then. I'm so very blessed to have you in my life! I'm glad I'm the one who turned you to the dark side by teaching you the Hustle. I had just learned that dance at 4H Camp and couldn't wait to share it with you. I could go on and on right now but like you, cannot wait until we can be in the same room as each other to laugh, love and cry in person. Love you bunches :o)

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  3. Ah... now who is crying? I am... SMILE... I am not surprised of the connection we share... what amazes me is that my little girl right now can be making connections that she can carry into her adult life. That just touches my life. I believe God puts people in our life when we need them... HE knows what we need and when we need them. With this in mind... I am glad I have you in my life.

    What ever happened to Mike Elliot... he sure talked a lot then... but... so did we. Ha. I think we need to plan a big girls weekend... and have fun girls join us.... it would be great. I can't wait.

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  4. Wendy
    It is so amazing to me how you have captured my wife's true beauty and how long it has remained with you. You and I have never met but have the same upbringing. You knew her as a child and I have known her all her adult life. I so agree with you that God puts people in our lives when we need them the most. Tammy needs and deserves a big girls weekend, please light that fire. I think after almost 35 years it is time to make that re-union a reality!!!

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  5. Awwwww... that is so sweet of you to say. I appreciate that. So I hear that the Oregon Coast is just beautiful. I would love that.

    You were Seventh Day Adventist as well? I am not any longer, but some things stuck with me... like... cottage cheese loaf... hahahaha. Still one of my favorites. SMILE. Or Fry Chick Chowmein.

    I am glad you found such a wonderful wife in Tammy. Many men get stuck with real weiners for wives... just as my ex's. SMILE.

    Looking forward to meeting you... Ps... if you are not SDA any longer... she better be showing you how to do the HUSTLE....

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