Hangin' With My Peeps...

Yesterday was another milestone in life. Another change that sets you thinking, remembering and learning.

For four years I had the privilege and blessing of serving with the sweetest ladies. This opportunity came out of the blue for each of us. And, if ever there was something that was just the right thing at the right time and the right place, this was it for each of us.

We were called to serve as the Stake Relief Society presidency in the Lexington North Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Relief Society is the organization for women. There is a Relief Society in each of the wards (congregations) and several of those wards make up a stake. We were called to serve as the presidency of the Relief Society at the stake level which included eight wards. We were able to train, encourage, support and sustain the activities at the ward level and then provide an event at the stake level for all the ladies living within those geographic boundaries.

We have maintained our friendship despite the fact we each live in a different portion of our stake and have lives filled with many different things.

This last week Lisa Adams accepted a job in Florida. She and David, her hubby, will leave the beginning of March. This will be the first of us to move away. Saturday we all got together at our home for dinner and time to visit before the Adams move to Florida.

It just so happened the Jessie's birthday was Friday. She was our photographer and very much a part of our group. We opted to include a little birthday remembrance for Jessie. Claude and I provided lasagna, Laura (Jessie's mom) brought bread, Barbara brought a salad, and Lisa brought an ice cream cake that had "Happy Birthday Jessie" on the top. 

We had a lovely dinner and great conversation. Then we gave Jessie her birthday cake.

I had a little cross-stitch piece I made and gave that to Jessie. It is always fun to give Jessie a gift. She just lights up and appreciates any gesture you make for her.

We retired to the living room to enjoy birthday cake and more conversation.  Howard and Laura Carter prepared a DVD with picture and video of our time serving together. We laughed and smiled and cried and our minds and hearts flooded with memories of truly wonderful bits of our lives. Howard gave Lisa the DVD to take with her.

Before we finished our time together, we posed for one more picture of all of us. We had a meal at our home the first week we served together. We took a picture of all of us then. It just seemed right to be sure we had another picture.

Okay, we gave the picture taking over to our hubbies and father. This is what Claude did. Seated are Lisa Adams and Sandi Christensen. Standing are Laura and Jessie Carter and Barbara Mason.

We loved our hubbies and father. They helped us with so many things we tried to accomplish from setting up and tearing down events to preparing and serving in the kitchen. Such good men and it only made our callings the more fun that they enjoyed each others company and really wanted to help.

It was a very fun and tender afternoon and evening for us.

I realized how important we all were to each other when I thought of how many people Lisa, a true Kentucky native, has that would want to spend time with her in the brief days before they leave. Her family is all here and it not a small family. She has many friends from her entire life here. Even with all these people to say good-bye to, she still wanted to have this time with just this little group of ladies whose time working together meant so much.

I realized how important we all were to each other when Howard started the DVD he and Laura put together so quickly. It took a lot of time to get that done but it was so worth it to share those memories again.

I realized how important we were to each other when we don't get to see each other very often and we just pick up like no time has past. We genuinely want to know what has happened in each other lives personally and with the family members and grandchildren.

I realized how important we were to each other when Claude said, "Okay ladies, what have you got planned for us (meaning the men) next, what are you going to dress us up in (Lisa made us camouflage aprons for one event and we had the guys wear them for our very last event.) and have us do for you."  Then as Lisa broke into tears after the DVD viewing we turned and saw tears in my big cowboy's eyes. Our guys know and we know that something very important happened to each of ladies in the four years of service.

We will miss having Lisa close enough to see her are meetings and events. But those miles between Kentucky and Florida will not separate the love and care we have for each other. I thank my Heavenly Father for seeing fit to place us together for that bit of service in his Church and kingdom. It was a tender mercy on his part for which I will be eternally grateful.