pure gold

Flash back Friday

"Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold"

Did anyone else sing this as a child? I learned it in Girl Scouts. As far as I know, those are the only words. We always sang it as a round.

One of the hard things about living most of my life in countries outside of the one I grew up in is that I have lost touch with so many friends. When we first moved--early 90s, e-mail was new and still rare. Things are much different now and keeping in touch is a lot easier. But it is still an effort and life moves so fast in the US that it is easy to 'lose' people outside of a yearly Christmas card.

When I was newly married I worked in a small office. I had a co-worker named Tammy who was also newly married and we both found out we were expecting our first child about the same time. So we passed nine months comparing notes, laughing at each other's stories and eating out together! (well--almost nine--her little guy made an early entrance!!). We had been friends in college--but I grew closer to her during that year. Let's face it, first babies are pretty special. And to have someone to share that with was priceless.

I've kept in touch here and there over the years. I knew she now has 5 little ones (all boys!!). She came by and saw me when she was in town and I was living in the US several years ago. But then we left the US again and a few more years have gone by and I haven't really connected with her in ages. Last week when the group of youth ministers from the US came down, one was from the church were Tammy and her husband now work. I was so excited to hear about her and get an update. And I sent a note home with him for her.

You really don't know how excited I was to open my e-mail yesterday and find a long, long, newsy, girly letter -- just like a I love-- telling me all about her and her gang. (She even owns her own scrapbooking business!!) It was such a blessing to me. Maybe I'm getting old and sentimental. Maybe I realize as the years go by that new friends aren't always easy to make. Or maybe I just feel so very far away from so many people I love. But it felt so good to re-connect with an old friend.

I think that song was on to something. "Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."


I hope she doesn't kill me for this old picture! But you all know how I feel about posts without pictures! :o) This is January 22, 1994. The day of my baby shower for Zachary. I only remember the date as I went into labor that night and Z was born the next day on the 23rd! (Yes he will be a teenager next week--Yikes!) This is my friend Tammy in the middle (with her new little bundle!)