Happy Birthday Tammy!

Today (March 17) is Tammy's birthday. She is a very close friend of mine. We met in the dorm bathroom (Haury Hall) at Bethel College during our freshmen year. I believe it was late in the evening. I was using the furthest sink from the door, washing my face and brushing my teeth. Tammy likes to remind me that I was using a hot pink hair clip to hold my bangs back from the face washing. Fortunately, I DO NOT have a photo to post of that ordeal. Just use your imagination.

During college, we were friends, but I wouldn't say close friends. It wasn't until after college that our friendship blossomed. It's funny because during college, we lived very close togther. Since college, we've always lived a distance from each other. Perhaps that's how we've become so close. A bit strange, isn't it?

We have so many memories: traveling to Ireland together with two other girls from college (probably will do a post someday on that trip), hanging out in Chicago several times, cooking together at a kids' camp in Ontario, talking about boys, talking about the future, sharing hopes and dreams....etc., etc., etc.

Here are a few photos....

When Tammy met Reynold (her husband), he was director of "Silver Lake Mennonite Camp." This camp is located in Ontario. Tammy took a summer and served as the head cook. So I, spent my week's vacation up in Ontario, cooking for a bunch of 8-12 year olds. It actually was a lot of fun, and I would love to do it again someday. In this photo, we're in the camp kitchen, preparing something. Tammy's on the left, and I, of course, am in the middle.



Tammy's family is Canadian, though she had lived in the states for a number of years because her father was teaching at a seminary in northern Indiana. When she met Reynold (also Canadian), she moved back up north. So now, she's in Manitoba. If we want to see each other, one of our families must cross the border :)

**As a side note, though, Tammy was actually born in this nice little town we live in :)

In May, 2007, I was up in Minneapolis on business (of course). Tammy and Reynold, along with their 8-month old son, Caleb, were kind enough to come down for a visit. So, here's Tammy, Caleb, and me in Minneapolis.



And, just for fun -- in June, 2006, Marc and I went up to Manitoba for a visit. Here's a photo of the two of us -- she was pregnant with Caleb at the time.



So Tammy, Happy 33rd Birthday! I hate to say it, but we're getting old! If you would've been down here today, you could've had an 80 degree birthday. But, since you're up there in Manitoba, you had to have a cold birthday with ice and snow barely melted. Perhaps some year, you can come down here for our birthdays....OR, we can travel somewhere for our birthdays -- like we talked about.

You're a wonderful friend. You're so very encouraging. You're a FANTASTIC listener. You're a great wife to Reynold, and you're a loving mother to Caleb and Jesse.

Have a great day!