Feeling REALLY sentimental

August 23rd, 2008...this is one of the days I have prayed for and dreamed about for so long. This day has nothing to do with me...nothing at all, except for the fact that I get to be a witness and enjoy one of the weddings I have looked forward to almost more than any other in my short lifetime. This is the chosen wedding day of Susanna Guess to Aaron Taylor! Woohoo! Can you hear me shouting in Virginia??? Susanna and I go way back...let me take you there...

Susanna and I are cousins on our mother's side...to put it simply, our grandmothers are sisters. Susanna is and has always been one of my best friends. She is one of the neatest people ever with such an amazing personality that people just naturally flock to her. My earliest memory of Susanna was when we were both about 4 years old, or thereabout. I don't know when or where it was, but we were on a BIG Davis family reunion. I remember vividly that me, Susanna and Jeremy Fulmer were almost inseparable. I don't remember all of the details of that reunion, but I came back telling EVERYONE that my bestest friend was Susanna. I even named one of my favorite dolls after her.

There are so many more funny and vivid memories that stick out...I won't go into great detail about this one, so as not to re-hash too many old memories or embarrass others who were involved [namely myself!], but Susanna was there for me when I wrote my first love letter, when I was probably about 10 yrs old. She even encouraged me in my idea to spray the letter with perfume and put lipstick on and kiss the letter. She was able to provide a stamp and the address of my intended because she is such a wonderful friend [my goodness, this was over 22 years ago, and my face is still lit up like a fire! I am still SOOO embarrassed!]! Since the letter was also sent anonymously, when it was later mentioned by this poor young man, Susanna was able to identify me as the sender...girl, I am forever in your debt! Just kidding...friends to the end, right? :-)

Another wonderful memory that I have is when Susanna and I took a trip to Arkansas with Uncle Tony and Aunt Patty [her grandparents]. That was by far the most fun I think I have had on a trip! We laughed, sang, snacked in the backseat of that van...we told the most appalling secrets, I am sure. One thing that sticks out in my head was the church meeting that we went to in Arkansas. I am not sure what church it was, but Susanna and I were simply not used to singing in the manner that this church sang. Not that it wasn't beautiful, or sweet, but we never knew that it would take 30 minutes for the congregation to sing "Brethren We Have Met To Worship". We tried to sing as slow as everyone else, but we could not do it without hysterically laughing most of the way through. Sometimes, even now when I visit some country churches and this song is called out, I wonder...how slow can it go?

I was going through my sentimental box the other day...you know, we girls keep these kinds of things! There have only been a few letters/cards/gifts over the years that I have kept in a special place. I have a box of letters and cards from my DH when we were courting/engaged. I also have an ongoing box that I keep for his cards. etc., now. Susanna and I spent a lot of time writing back and forth over the years and I have kept all of her cards and notes of encouragement and silly cards just for the heck of it! I love going through those and just remembering our special friendship.

Many of you know that Susanna was my maid of honor when I got married 7 years ago. Before the wedding, she came down to help me do birdseed packs and other miscellaneous things. We stayed up until all hours of the night talking and goofing off. I don't remember much else about what we did, but this was a big time in my life and she was there for me. I remember my wedding day after I walked down the aisle, she adjusted my dress and veil for me, she held my flowers for me when it was time to speak my vows and she simply smiled through the whole ceremony [I know because I went back and watched her!]. That is one of the reasons I can't wait to go and be at her wedding next Saturday. I know I will be grinning from ear to ear and shouting on the inside!

A lot of things have changed. I have gotten married, phone calls and letters have been somewhat fewer and shorter, but before kids, and when I was working overnight, I was thrilled when my phone would ring and Susanna would be on the other end. She kept me awake all of those nights where I probably would have gone to napping and missing a few phone calls. Instead, she endured elevator hold music as I answered other lines and had to handle other calls. I always enjoy my phone calls with Susanna and I love coming home sometimes to hear that she has left a message. A few weeks ago, Susanna left a REALLY long message and my DH said, "Does she remember she is not talking to you, but to the voicemail?" We had a good laugh over that.

After 5 years of trying and praying for children, when I found out I was pregnant, Susanna was the first person I called because I simply could not contain myself [sorry for anyone else who didn't already know I called her first...let by gones be by gones !:-) ]. I remember what she said...she was making cookies for something and she said, "I can't believe you told me now when I can't scream!!!" She screamed the next day, though, I heard it all the way from Virginia! Susanna came to the baby shower my church held for us even though I told her she didn't have to...because I knew that was a long way to come! She has been such a wonderful friend and treasure to me. I simply can't wait to see this next part of her life unfold!

I know this has been a really LONG post, so forgive me, but I was feeling really sentimental and wanted to say a few things about such a wonderful friend!