Anne

Instead of writing about how I became friends with Anne - I am just going to link to her blog where she wrote the whole book on it! From my perspective...: A Tribute To Friendship From my perspective...: A Tribute To Friendship Part 2 From my perspective...: A Tribute To Friendship Part 3

All I can say is that Anne is a true friend that I don't want to ever lose. There is a song I like and is very fitting. (song by Micheal W. Smith)

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
I can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter of your life is through
But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone'
Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And with the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you live in
Is the strength that now you show
We'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends
To live as friends
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends
No a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

Anne is one of those friends that a lifetime is not too long, and the welcome will not end! She basically gave up 8 months of her life while my husband and I were engaged. She would come over to my apartment, go on day trips, go with me to his place, even took an over night trip to WV with us. All becuase she cared about us and wanted us to have a chaperone and since neither of our families live in the state we needed help. She came several times to the hospital to sit with me while my husband was at work. I really don't know what I would do without Anne as my friend.
Since she filled us all in on how we met, I thought I would add some of our memories!

Anne was the only person I know that heard my testimony of how I got saved and didn't believe I was really saved. For this I am not upset that she didn't believe me - I am grateful - eternally grateful. As far as I know she was the only one praying that I would get saved. And one night while sitting in church God opened my eyes and showed me that when I was seven I said the words but I only said it because my sister died and I wanted to see her again. So that night - October 15, 2003 I was saved. Before I went to bow down before God, Anne was out of the pew (I sat with her) and was at the alter praying, I later found out it was for me! Well Praise the Lord becuase I did get save that night!

As I said we sat together in church - well Anne likes flat shoes and I like heels. After the welcoming (shanking hands) I would always slip off my shoes. So I was next to Anne and about 3 inches taller then I was suddenly the same height. Somehow that usually made her laugh.

Everyone at church thought Anne and Rachel (I will tell more about Rachy in another post!) were calm, well somehow after I got there that all changed. Anne and I have had many water fights. Some in my apartment and some in her kitchen. I don't even know what starts them we just end up tickling each other and then dumping water on each other.

We (Anne, Rachel and I - but mostly Anne and I) have many memories annoying someone at our church over the computer by switching the person who was typing. I will leave it at that because only Anne and Rachel can appreciate the humor in that. Remember when Anne had jury duty? ;-)

We liked to get Rita's (Water ice and custard) after church, even when it was too cold to even sit outside to eat it. So after church we would get some and take it back to church to eat.

When Anne was helping me move from my little colege dorm to my apartment I assured her that we would only have one car load, becuase after all sshe had a HUGE station wagon (which I never minded riding in, but we have had many laughs over). However we ended up making 2 or 3 trips. I have NO idea how I fit all that into one little half of the dorm room.

A true friend will tell you when you are doing something wrong, even though they know you may get mad and end the friendship. Anne and I have always had the relationship where we can rebuke each other in love. We both know it is only a friendship if we help each other and are honest. I remember Anne helping many times, in particular when my older sister was getting married and I was upset becuase I was losing my sister and friend. (which by the way, we aren't as close as we used to be, but we are always sisters and always friends!) She told me buntly (as always!) that I needed to get over it. I don't remember everything but she has been a true friend.

Anne and I were cleaning at her house before her parents returned from a trip (which I totally owed her becuase she helped me clean my apartment many times!). Well we got very hot cleaning and since my apartment (which was a mother-in-law suite attached to a house of people in my church) has a swimming pool in their back yard - we decided to go swimming. Well the only problem with that was that the pool was heated only by the sun and well it was October! It was FREEZING! Anne ended up getting a cold from it.

The day we were going to WV Anne spent the night at my apartment, when we woke up we didn't feel like eating anything for breakfast except ice cream...so we did!

Anne got to the hospital the day Dillon was having the surgery for the G-Tube to sit with me and declared her car had a flat tire. We decided when Josiah got home from work we would ask him to change it. We started watching a movie (to distract me) and forgot all about it until Si got there. We took him out to the car and he asked "which tire is flat?" Anne pointed to the driver's front tire. "No it isn't." "Are you sure? It looks low." Well we took the car to a gas station and if you know anything about tire pressure you will know that 38 PSI is NOT low. the noise Anne heard the tire making was from the groves in the parking garage.

Another thing we have a good laugh about is the fact that somehow everytime my dad sees Anne (which isn't all that often since he is out of state) she is either eating or at lest has food in her hands. He thinks all she does is eat! He told her that when she gets married he is coming to the wedding (even if not invited - which she assured him he will be) and is going to hand her a bag lunch as she walks down the aisle. My mom told him he should just get her a chocolate rose to put in her flowers in case she gets hungry! She really doesn't eat that much, I know I eat a lot more than she does, she just seems to have bad timing where my dad is involved.

Well that's All I can write for now, I don't know if people reading these will find it funny or not, but I know Anne will. Thank you for your friendship.