Nineteen Years, Three Marriages, One divorce, Ten Children, and Countless Pounds Gained and Lost- Still Friends After All These Years.

Nineteen years ago, this month, I was in the MTC. It seems unreal that it's been that long, yet it also seems like a lifetime ago. The MTC was great. I had a nice companion who I got along ok with. But, I would see other sisters around that seemed like they were best friends. I wondered if I would ever have a companion like that.

After 7 weeks in Provo, I flew out to my mission in Charlotte, NC. The day that Sister Covey picked me up at the mission office changed my life forever. We hadn't been together more than a couple of hours before we both knew-we were already friends. It was like we were just waiting for the day that we would be together again. We liked the same things, music, clothes,etc. We had the same sense of humor-(This volleyball game reminds me of 'Top Gun', but there's something missing. What could it be? Oh! The sand.). We were even the same size. The only sad thing about my time with Teddi was that it ended all too soon. We were together two short months before she was transferred to Atlanta. Many of the tough times on my mission were bearable only because of her love and friendship.

Now, almost two decades later, she is the only person from my mission that I keep in touch with. (Well, other than my husband, but that's a story for a different day.) We don't see each other that often, even though she now lives in Lehi. Families, jobs and other obligations keep us on either side of the point of the mountain, but we e-mail and read each others' blogs to keep up. Saturday, we finally got together and had lunch in Salt Lake. It was like we'd never been apart. We talked and laughed for over two hours. It wasn't long enough.

Teddi is beautiful, intelligent, talented (best interpreter in Utah), and incredibly spiritual. When I grow up, I want to be just like her. Thanks for the great day, my friend. I'm waiting anxiously for our slumber party!!