FRIENDS FOR KEEPS

A few weeks ago, I posted on my blog and FB about a wonderful birthday party I had for a sweet young girl here at The Creekhouse Pool.  My sweet friend, Juliann, whom I do not get to see very often anymore, posted that it would be fun to have a party here to celebrate her retirement.  She has been a teacher for about 100 years….not really, cause we are the same age, but she taught all of our friends children and mine and then she moved over to teach in GA. for awhile.  She is just a born teacher.    So, we settled on a date and decided to invite some of our friends from ‘way back’.  You know that term- ‘way back’?  We were all young girls…newly married and newly parents and newly working…and we bonded in church together at Southside.  We went to Sunday School together and we taught choirs together and we eventually taught Sunday School,and Bible Drills and Missions and choirs.  And, everyone’s children became our children.  We watched them grow and struggle.  Some headed straight, some took the wrong path, but eventually, they all remembered their ‘training’ and got in line.  When one was struggling in school, we all gave our opinions.  Some of our friends were actually the other children’s teachers.  Which made for a hard year for the kids…they could get away with nothing.  And eventually, they graduated and we celebrated with each Mom as they graduated from college!

And so, those of us who were able to make it, gathered at my house and had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s news and things that had transpired.  We talked of children (they would hate to be called that now) who are engaged to marry, and those who have just married.  We talked of grandchildren and how different things are now than when we were raising our own.  We talked of friends of friends and those we had lost touch with.  We talked of parents and those who are no longer with us.  We remembered old days at church and at school with our children.  All but 2 of the group have been in the education field and 3 of us have retired.

We ate yummy food…compliments mostly of Juliann (in white shirt, above)…I just did the fruit and drinks…she did all the rest. We laughed and laughed and talked some more about grandchildren…Shea had great pics on her phone…and the rest of us showed our pics, too.  We talked of spouses and anniversaries.  Three of us will have 40 years invested in matrimony next year!!!  In just this little group, we have children who are bankers, and doctors, and artists, and photographers, and film work, school teachers, and merchants and ministers, and accounting, and computer programming managers and missionaries, and some others I’m not exactly sure of…but I’m sure it is of great importance.  Some are still in school and others will be starting back to school soon for new careers.  Wow!  Are we blessed or what?

We sat through a rain shower and didn’t even know it until we went outside to look at the pool.  That’s hard talking, y’all.  Jan had to leave before we got a group picture…

Shea….Pamela….Tonja….Juliann…..Cindy…..Tina…..and Jan (not pictured)

It was a wonderful afternoon…just catching up.  Isn’t it wonderful the way we are with ‘real girlfriends’?  Not those we were just aquainted with.  The things that were funny once, still are.  And, the things you share through the years have built a bond that time can’t disturb.  Hard times, deaths, serious illness, heartaches, all seem so much the easier when shared with someone who cares…really cares…about the outcome.  These are some of the friends who tell the stories of my life….they watched me struggle….they watched me stumble….they helped me stand again.  As, I have for them.  And the uniting comes from this place…the love of God, which ties us together and joins our hearts in friendship…for keeps!