Best Friends

When I was three years old my family moved from Salt Lake to Astoria, Oregon. I can still vividly remember my first Sunday in our new ward. I remember standing in the foyer with Dayna after all the meetings, looking for my parents. While we were looking around this cute blond girl about our age came towards us with her father. I can still hear Brother Oja saying "Look at these nice twin girls, Cathy. Why don't you introduce yourself to them?" That was the beginning of a 41 year friendship.

I can recall many years of sleepovers, cruising, talking about boys, stake dances, ward activities, riding bikes in Olney, eating pizza from Olney Store ( in the rain), stalking the Bjork brothers, swimming at Tapiola Pool, playing kick the can at Tapiola Park late at night with (gasp) boys, trick or treating together, eating dilly bars at Dairy Queen, cookouts on the beach and at Coffenbury Lake, climbing the Astor Column, going to our first temple together in Oakland, California while in Young Woman's, attending Ricks College together, and the list just keeps going on and on.

I think my favorite memory is when Dayna and I flew to Oregon to surprise Cathy at her father's funeral. After the funeral all three of us climbed the Astor Column (thinking we were still teenagers and this would not be a big deal...boy were we wrong! Our age showed that day!) and when we reached the top, we just leaned against the railing and talked and talked while looking out over the vast, beautiful view in front us. What a great memory.

I love that we are still in contact. It is true that we don't talk often, but whenever we go to Astoria, visiting the Oja's is a top priority. And when we get together with Cathy it is like time has stood still since our last visit and nothing has changed at all.

Cathy sent me this photo for Christmas of her and her cute husband, Tom. They both work for May Trucking and evidently decked out a truck for the holidays...love it! Who says that friendship never lasts???