Day 2~PartB~Seeing OLD Jr. High friends

Since contacting a handful of friends on Facebook, I wanted to organize a get together while I was in Utah. One lives in Idaho, but was also going to be in Utah when I was. All these gals I knew in Jr. High back when I lived in Slidell, Louisiana (suburb of New Orleans). I lived there from 2nd-8th grade, and around the time I was in Jr. High, Betsie and Liz moved in. The 3 of us did a lot together. Liz was in my grade, Betsie a grade older. Betsie moved in down the street from me, I had a huge crush on Liz's older brother (Ben). That had nothing to do with our friendship--just stating the facts. As our church does, it brings people together. We were instant friends, having met first at church, then were at school together. I know I have better pictures of the 3 of us, but I think the album is at my moms house. So here are some that I've got.

We tended to have some drama that comes with a triangle best friendship, but it worked out. We had fun, and we all had standards that supported each other (this is 7th grade).
The summer after 8th grade, we all moved. I moved to Texas, Betsie moved to Utah, and Liz moved to Colorado. We met up in Utah the summer after 9th grade, and I think thats the last time I saw Liz. Here is my scrapbook page from that time. (click to enlarge) Betsie and I seemed to keep in touch a bit. I specifically remember visiting her at her home in Utah (maybe the same summer as above) and she told me how she was communicating with friends on her computer. It was a black screen with green type. Almost like a phone call. Little did I know email and the internet would boom in just a few years. Betsie also did come to my wedding reception, and thats the last time I saw her. I reminded her, she gave me a blue laundry basket (as a wedding gift), and I still use it to this day.

Here we are now, I think time has been good to us. Betsie, Me, Liz

Jenny and I were also pretty good friends, but maybe didn't hang out as much. She being a year older than me as well, our parents kept in decent touch. When I heard she was getting married in St. George, Utah my freshman year at Ricks College, I thought 8 hours travel was nothing, so I talked a friend of mine into driving me down for her reception. Here we are then (1996).

Sara was in my ward, but at a different school. We didn't hang out together a lot, but were friends through church.

Here we are then (this was at a church youth group clean up service project--why am I the only one in shorts and a bow in my hair?):

Here we are now: Jenny, Me, Betsie, Liz, Sara
We met up at a park in Central Salt Lake (Liberty Park for those who know the area) and it just happened to be about a mile away from where I was visiting Marianne (previous post). It was a beautiful park with lots of trees and a sprinkler for the kids to play. We sat on the grass and talked about old times, our crushes back then, what has happened in our own lives in the past 17 years (that is a really long time) and a little about marriage and mothering. I wish we had more time to delve into the now.

I asked Tyler to walk around the circle and snap a few shots of us. It was so fun to hear what memories stick out to others that I had long forgotten. We all promised to scan old pictures and share them with each other--on facebook--so I have done my part (at least they are scanned for now).
Here are a few of my kids playing there...





And I just grabbed a few candids of my friends to send to them. I love candids.
Sara and her baby.
Betsie and her youngest
Liz and her baby Jenny with her baby
Liz's daughter Angie and Alyssa became buddies....

One more for old times sake (notice Liz's brother Ben-aka my crush--is in this and my brother and mom).

Then we decided to grab all of our kids (18 total between the 5 of us). What a group, huh?
We talked also about the pitfalls of life and things that can lead people away from staying active in the church. We decided it was such a blessing to see that each of us has chosen to live our lives according to the gospel standards. When many friends that we knew way back then have chosen other paths. It brought to my mind the scripture in Alma 17:2. It was so fun to see them, but what added more to my joy, was to see that they were still my sisters in the Lord.