It only took 2 years...

Once upon a time, a LONG time ago in the land of Indiana there lived a girl named Lisa.  She was of super intelligence, finishing her Masters Degree in MOLECULAR BIOLOGY at the age of 22 at Purdue.  Also living near Purdue was another girl, her name was Sister Shumway (that's me) and she was but a lowly and humble missionary, serving the people, and of only medium intelligence.  Anyway, Lisa was the Relief Society President of the student branch and she quickly became a good friend and allie to us sister missionaries.  We bonded quickly, and were able to call and wake her from her morning slumber to rescue us from our stupidity, use her for her car to take us far places, lend us an ear, make us laugh, etc.  She truly was a treasure!  So, as fate/luck would have it, she graduated at the same time I was going home from the mission.  Then fate intervened again, and i moved to Provo, WHERE she lived.  Our friendship was solidified and deepened over my time spent there.  In the course of a year, not knowing what to do with herself and all her brainy education, she decided to go on a mission.  So, I was there to send her off to the Czhec Republic.  I moved home, she served her 18 months.  Then, she moved back to Provo and did whatever it was she did.  But, anytime I'd go up there, I'd stay at her house.(much to the chagrin of her younger sister, who was not loving me or my family much. haha) And Lisa made it a point to come down and visit me on my birthdays here in AZ.  So, can you see, my point here, we were pals.  And let me tell you, there is a lot to love about her.

Lisa is:
Sooo smart
VERY witty
Kind
Spiritual
Loving
Wise beyond her years
A good listener
Just wonderful.

The years passed, she now decided a doctorate was what she needed to do.  So off she went to Indiana again, though at a different University.  And also in this time, she found her husband.  He lived nearby in Illinois.  They dated, and decided to get married.  She happened to get married a few months after me, so Jere and I went up for her wedding.  Then off they went back to Indy.  Lisa jumped right on the baby train, wasting no time.  And before I knew it, she had a beautiful daughter, that she named...Allyson.  Made me cry when she told me.  Though I'm sure it was not that she named her literally AFTER me, she DID spell her just like me.  They eventually moved to a tiny town in Southern Illinois where they lived "forever" it seemed.  She had twins after  Allyson and a busy life of 3 babies at once. 

We got busy with our respective lives and didn't keep in touch as well as we could have.  But, we would e-mail or talk occassionaly, and the friendship was always the same.


One day, TWO YEARS AGO, Lisa called and asked what I thought about them moving to AZ perhaps.  I was ecstatic, of COURSE I wanted her to move here.  Oh hooray, thinnk of the possibilities.  So, she did move here....... and yesterday..... was the FIRST time I've been to her house, and only second time I've even seen her.  Isn't that embarrassing?  i know, it is!  In my defense, she DID move to freaking Cooper and Riggs, which frankly is a LONG way on the other side of the world.  But still, no excuse.

I met her twins for the first time (met allyson as a tiny baby and then at Max's shower) and spent time in her home and chatted and laughed ad talked and basked in the joy that is Lisa.


WHY do we waste time, or put off seeing people that we love so much?  I really don't know.  But I do know this....it will NOT be 2 years before I see her again.  I need her wise wit in my life!

Just a little shot of my pal and her kiddos!


Thanks Lisa for a lovely morning.  Oh, and I'll be back for the sippy cup!!


Old friends and inside jokes,

Allyson