Longtime Friends

    I shared with all of you that my longtime friends, and I, went to get our picture taken to commemorate our 20 years of friendship.  We met when our kids were in kindergarten together at Roosevelt School. Over the years we have laughed and cried together, held each other tight and launched each other with encouragement, prayed and rejoiced together.  And, we still all like each other!!

    Let me tell you about them (left to right):

    Judy works for the Salvation Army, and belongs to their church.  She wears their uniform and plays the tambourine when she marches in the Rose Parade. She arranges for our bi-annual trips to the Malibu mountains' Salvation Army camp. She's, also, fondly known as the Cruise Queen, because she arranges for groups to go on cruises, week long or short.

    Sue is my best friend.  She works as a kindergarten class size reduction teacher in my school district, which is a half-time position.  She got her credential two years before me, and was a great cheerleader for me getting my credential.  She dearly loves national parks, and other national areas.  Now that her children are grown, she travels with her husband, Jim, or with me, to those amazing areas of our country.

    Kathi works at our school district office in Facilities and Maintenance.  She first started out as a clerk in Roosevelt School's office.  She attends the Crystal Cathedral, and hooks me up with free tickets to the Glory of Christmas.  Kathi faithfully visits our neighborhood Curves center, and she's in the best shape of her life.  Kathi, her husband, and two daughters were all born in Canada, in a Mennonite community.  All four of them just became U.S. citizens!

    Nancy has worked for Disney for over 30 years.  She is in the costuming department, where they make the costumes for the characters.  It is a blast to visit her office to see all the characters coming to life, from movies and books.  Even though her children are grown, she and her husband, Larry, are still active in 4-H. She helped me find a contact for my Guide Dog presentation.

    These four women are awesome and I am honored they are my friends!