Visiting Old Friends

Life has been busy, busy, busy for us with no plans of slowing down in the next couple of weeks. On Sunday after we were finished with all of our church commitments, we loaded the kids in the car and drove a few hours to visit some of my friends or adopted family as I call them, in West Point, NY. (I could do a whole post on the beauty and history of the West Point Military Academy, but I think you can google that for yourselves. The campus is just gorgeous, and I am a sucker for old buildings and the military.)
The Harveys took me in when I was just out of high school and in my first year or so of college. Belinda and I met in high school. We had just moved to Utah, and we are both natives of Louisiana. We instantly bonded and spent a lot of time together. Living with their family was the first time I had lived with a traditional family. You know a family with a dad, mom, daughter, son, cat, and dog. That experience made a great impression on me, and helped to further shape my ideas of, and commitment to, the creating of that kind of environment and family life for my own children. My life was forever changed by the experience of time shared with the Harvey family, and for the better too.
Over the years we lost contact with each other, but have recently renewed our connection. It was fun to spend time with them and catch up with each other's lives. When Belinda told me that her parents would be in town and that we should all get together I have to admit my very first thought was "Oh snap! How am I gonna lose 100 pounds in two weeks!?" Seriously, that was the very first thing that crossed my mind. Well, when it comes right down to it those kinds of things shouldn't stop you from seeing the people you love, and I do love them very much.
The years that have separated us dissolved in an instant and we just picked up from where we left off. I can't help but think of all the good people that have helped me along my way. God always knows what I need. So to the Harvey Family who taught me about sisterhood, about love and laughter, that there are silver linings even in the worst times, and that friends are the angels among us. I learned how to clean, to change the oil in my smurf blue car, to cook a stew with wine in it (LOL, best stew I ever ate by the way), to balance a check book, how to shop and get my nails done (important too by the way), and wash laundry the Harvey way. Dad even let me drive his Stingray Corvette, t-top convertible, if I remember correctly. I can't possibly list all the things I did or learned while with them, but I shall never forget any of it. I will always be grateful.
Dad Tommy use to tease everyone that I was his Utah state issued mormon daughter, and that all non-mormon families would have the opportunity to adopt a mormon child too or something like that. I think that's funny. When I said grace over dinner on Sunday night Tom said he would fold his arms like the mormons, and I decided I would cross myself like the catholics. Too funny. We've never tried to convert each other over the years, we've always just accepted each other the way we are. I think that's the way it ought to be.
Anyway, this experience of reunion this weekend and remembering of past times just makes me happy. You know they say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, the Harveys are my lemonade, and I love, love, love them. I wish Jason could have been there too. I love the new additions of spouses and kids. Good times. I'm a bit sad that we've missed some milestones like weddings, babies, deaths and such, but ya live and learn. I've learned that I hope the Harveys like me too cuz they're stuck with this stray mormon kid they tucked under the wing and nurtured so many, many years ago!!!