My Story: Before I Tell You That Story...

The girls and I had protein pancakes for breakfast,

then talked and talked before figuring out our fun for the day.

But before I tell you that story, I need to tell you this story...

Our friendship origin stories.

Anne Thackeray is my longest best friend.

Her family moved back to SLC from Belgium in 6th grade.

When I laid next to my mom in her bed and cried that I didn't have a best friend,

she asked me if I could choose anyone, who would it be. I said Anne.

Mom suggested I invite her to play (or maybe to seminary Lagoon Day?!)

and after one playdate, we were friends for life.

Our adventures included buying matching shoes at the Safeway in the neighborhood

and riding bikes miiiiiiles away to get mints at Pic 'n Sav because our 6th grade teacher liked them.

And to drive by cat lady's house,

which seemed miles away but is really just around the corner from where I live now.

I buried my Tiger's Eye ring in her garden as a joke and never found it again and I'm still sad about it.

Once our teacher, Mr. Potts said he wanted to cut off our matching side curls,

which is a weird thing for a teacher to say.

Also, the time kind Anne shouted at the end of an assembly,

"Yea! It's over!"

We were on the 9th grade newspaper staff together which was a blast because we laughed so much

and really annoyed our teacher. (And I think that's where I got to be close with Michelle L. H.)

Anne and I stayed best friends through High School...

...and even into college, but she went to the U and I was at the Y and after she left on her mission,

we didn't see each other that often.

Anne has her PhD in PT and her advisor was Gerard, just like Courtney's.

After I reconnected with all the high school girls at the 40th birthday cruise,

I was with them a few times when Anne joined us,

but after she got married, we didn't see her much after that.

EXCEPT one time, a few days after my dad died, I was on a walk and she and her wife

(who don't live close) were on a bike ride on my street.

We got to talk for quite a while and I'll never forget the tender mercy of seeing

a friend who knew me way, way back, when I was a child, on that hard day.

I can't put into words why that helped my heart and soul, but it meant the world.

The last Christmas, when we had our big party, I texted an invite, and she said YES!

It was the happiest of reunions for all of us friends to see her again, and I think she felt that.

Because she said yes again when I invited her to Pagosa.

And that was an even happier reunion because we got the chance to talk and catch up

and laugh and share funny memes and discover we still laugh at the same things and memories.

Of course, I also had other best friends, including Patti Sansom who I met in Jr. High,

and she, Anne and I often could be found together.

We roomed together at Oakcrest Beehive camp after 7th grade and terrorized our counselor,

who we hated, (Skye) and hung all over the one we loved (Digger).

Patti's dad took us to Lake Powell for 9th grade graduation.

12-year-old Angela and Digger

Our sophomore year of high school, Caron and Carol Cardall moved to Olympus.

I immediately hit it off with Caron, then she invited her twin sister to tag along one night and

Carol and I had even more in common--eventually working together on the newspaper staff

our junior and senior years (along with Michelle L.) and both dating boys on the swim team.

Michelle Lunt, Carol and Me

Halfway into our sophomore year, Jenn Fotheringham moved from Murray High

(her parents were trying to get her away from all the bad influences

which were all gone by the time Lizzie was there, I'm sure!)

and me, Anne, Jenn and Patti sat by each other in the Alto section of Concert Choir.

Carol and Edie weren't too far away.

Jenn and I discovered we had not only the same birthday, but were born at the same hour

(me, 3:30 in California and her 5:30 in Chicago

so we determined we'd held hands down from heaven and have been close ever since.)

All of us went to dances together, goofed off in Concert Choir, studied for AP tests, were in a huge group that played kissing rugby on my front lawn, spent late nights running around parks and sometimes the cemetery, stole street signs, and took turns liking the same guys.

Edie Woodland and I often were together in a large group, but never spent one-on-one time together

in high school. I got to really know her on the 40th birthday cruise, and felt a little jipped that

I missed out on her friendship and humor for so many years!

Jenn, Anne and Carol on the front row.

Me and Patti behind. Caron (Carol's twin) next to us, then Edie.

Carol and Anne didn't feel like they knew each other in high school,

but here they are next to each other in our grad photo.

Jenn on the far left, Anne, me, Carol and Kristie.

Patti, Carol, Edie and I were all on Sr. Trip together at Lake Powell.

I didn't feel like I knew Edie well in high school,

but here we are on Senior Trip.

Carol, Patti and I were college roommates (along with Michelle & Jenny Curtis)

(until Carol got married our Sophomore year and defected to the U,

and Patti left for her mission our Junior year, defecting to the U afterward as well).

Patti reconnected with Anne and Jenn who had become close with Edie and a whole slew of other friends who adopted me into their group after we all turned 40

and we all reconnected on the 40th birthday cruise. (And I got to know Edie well.)