A 30 SOMETHING YEAR OLD FRIENDSHIP

I can't believe that I am even old enough to have had a friendship that has lasted more than 30 years. 33 to be exact. Rebecca and I met in Mrs. Hearring Kindergarten class in St. Johns AZ. I remember playing on the swings and playing dress up with Rebecca but we didn't become best friends till around 3rd grade. We were even baptised together! We sang a song from My Turn on Earth called 'Bright Little Light' which I have had all three of my own children sing at their baptisms. Rebecca and I spent our time playing at each others houses, jumping on her trampoline, dressing up for Halloween, going to Merry Miss and mutual together,attending choir, baking and just being very silly. During the summer we rode our bikes down town to the public pool and walked to the drugstore for hot dogs and cokes from the soda fountain, we slept under the stars on her trampoline or on our rollaway bed. We ate tons of Popsicles and even had several food fights, peanuts in my room during a tea party and rotten tomatoes from her family garden. We made a lot of memories in a short amount of time.

This is a picture of our kindergarten class, the year we met. Check out that cheesy grin 2nd from the top left and Rebecca is the 4th one from the top left.

This is a picture my mother took of Rebecca and I when my mom was starting to get into photography. It was taken in the photo studio out back of my house. Check out my humongous glasses. I think we were in 5th grade here.

This picture was taken on a trip to the valley for Legislature. We had never been to a mall together before and went crazy in a photo booth.

I know this picture is tiny... I actually got it off of facebook. One of my friends posted it and I just had to have it. It was taken on our 8th grade graduation commencement evening. That's me in the purple dress. Yes the one that has bare arms and shoulders while all the other girls are right out of the pioneer era LOL. Rebecca is next to me in blue and white. I still have this dress and my girls have played dress ups in it for years.

After 8th grade graduation I moved to Phoenix and only saw Rebecca a few times over the next few summers. This picture was taken during one of those trips.. I think we were around 14 and had been doing chores at Rebecca's house. I had the bright idea to look like maids for some reason. Thus the apron and bandannas.. Check out that vacuum cleaner in the back ground. Somehow we managed to see each other when she came to the valley and we were able to do batisms for the dead, attend girls conference at NAU and even hung out at Sun Splash once. We also wrote a lot of letters to each other. I'm amazed at how we were able to keep our friendship going even though we lived 4 hours away from each other.

After High School Rebecca moved to Safford AZ and met her husband Scott Evans. They married in 89 and started their family. All along the way Rebecca and I have stayed in touch with phone calls on each others birthdays and Christmas cards every year. About 10 years ago we decided to visit Rebecca in Safford and had a wonderful time getting to really know each other again. We have since made 4 trips to stay with them and always have a great time. We have children that are all around the same ages and Rebecca's oldest son and Ammah seemed to have hit it off and have even dated a few times. Rebecca and I have had little (imagine if) conversations about the two of them.. We could be in-laws someday... How cool would that be! No pressure Ammah and Dallin. Wink Wink. Anyway, this picture was taken at our most recent visit over the 4th of July. What an amazing journey in friendship we have had. A little older, a little more filled out (ha ha) but somehow still those same little silly girls from all those years ago. We haven't really changed all that much.

Over the 4th of July weekend I packed up the girls and drove to Safford to spend some time with my dear friend Rebecca Evans and her Family. We had a great time. Here is as short of a tell all as I can do. Explanation of the picture above. Rebecca and Scott were married 20 years ago. I was only 18 and her wedding was the first of all my friends that I attended. I drove to Safford for her reception. I remember feeling so grown up driving that far and getting my own hotel. I had purchased a salad bowl set for her wedding gift. Forward 19 years later...I visited Rebecca and stayed with her last summer and she got out this old ratty bowl and said, "do you remember this bowl?", I asked if it was from the salad bowl set I had given her for her wedding and she said it was. She said all the other smaller bowls had long since passed away but this one was left and barely hanging on. She didn't want to throw it away because it had sentimental value. SO....in my head I was thinking..... ooooh what a great 20 anniversary gift for me to get Rebecca. Forward to our annual visit to Rebecca's house this year. I handed Rebecca and Scott the gift all wrapped in pretty wedding paper. Rebecca was perplexed but started to open the card and gift. all the while chatting about the wedding present I had given her 20 years ago. She was so surprised and started laughing when she finally got the paper off the box. It was such a fun present to give.

Andelyn, Amelia, Lilly, Ammah and Polly hanging out in the Evans' pool. They have a beautiful back yard the kids love to hang out in.
Andelyn showing off her flexibility toe touch dive.

Look at Amelia with her awesome form during her 1st lessons turning flips off a diving board.

We went for a flag ceremony on 4th of July and witnessed the retiring of an old flag. I had never seen a flag retired before and I can honestly say that I felt extremely patriotic.

Dallin is Rebecca oldest son. Here he is saluting the old flag.

The burning of the flag. You can't see the flames in the picture but it was burning.

Ammah, Allison (Rebecca's Oldest daughter) and Dallin at the pancake breakfast after the flag ceremony. Dallin took Ammah on a fun date while we were there. Candelight dinner of cereal and milk on the EAC football feild, ice blocking and then to a friends for games.

The kids decorated their bikes and scooters for a little parade around the church grounds. This is Lillian and Andelyn on a two seater. They had a great time.

Rebecca and I later took the bike for a ride about town and felt like teenagers again. We rode all the way to her parents house to say hi. I felt like a little girl back in St. Johns again saying "hi" to Brother and Sister Biggs.

We had the pleasure of having a back yard BBQ with an awesome band called Savannah Jack. The band performed at the annual fireworks show later that night. They were soooo good. What talented performers and I felt honored to have met them and cook and serve food for them.

Ammah, Andelyn and Amelia waiting for the concert to start.

They had a huge flag displayed on the end of two cranes. It was so majestic looking. blowing in the wind.

Before the concert started there was a wonderful dedication ceremony to all of the armed forces and service positions in the community that serve our country everyday.

Ammah showing some of her 4th of July spirit with her red,white and blue headband.

Savannah Jack performing for the Safford audience. It was such a great show!

mmmm kettle corn to go around.
ooooh....ahhhh....pretty

Myself and Savannah Jack Band. I felt like a total groupie.

Rebecca and Shannon and all our kids.

As we were on our way out of town that day we took a picture of the new Temple being built in Thatcher.