Redplaid Time

Saturday, August 12, 2006

wow! May since i last blogged. So much has happened. Lets see if I can sum-up.

* i worked for the census, 3 months and 4 days and then got called back 3 weeks later. I am only working 1 week, done on Tuesday.
* in those 3 weeks I spent 1 week preparing for our churches day camp, directed the day camp the next week, took a few days off and then packed and went to the church's family camp for the long weekend, good times
* end of June went to Winnipeg to take a week of training with CEF. stayed with my sister, Alexandra, and her family, awesome time.
* my friend Tina visited from TO, hardly got to see her (stupid job)
* discovered I HATE WORKING FIVE DAYS A WEEK, IN AN OFFICE, FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS........
* i love being with my kids
* i don't know how working and single moms do it, YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!
* and the most amazing thing was my best friend from my youth called me up one day, she was in town. A gift from God to me in a time of tragedy for her. But her visit would bring another gift, one I thought I would never have.

My Friend Loretta

Loretta was my best friend. We met at and went to the same church. We hung out every Friday night at youth group. We were goofy together. When I was 19 Loretta graduated from high school and left home. Her plan was to get a job and go to bible college. It was strange losing Loretta. It's not like my life depended on her or anything like that but I felt a little "left behind". I really missed her. Near the end of August my mom asked me if I would like to go to bible college. I just about jumped out of my skin with joy. Within a few days I packed a trunk, got on the train with my bike and was on my way to Saskatoon, Sask.

I was unpacking when I heard Loretta's voice in the hallway. Her room was right across the hall. We were both very busy with school and Loretta worked at the closest 7/11 (she went to school all day, worked all evening, came home and did homework to 2 am), yet we still found time to goof off. We would shut ourselves into the girl's dorm prayer room and record silly stuff on tape to send home to my sister, Heather. Once we snuck into the cafeteria's freezer (you know, those big walk in ones) and ate ice cream, we had to eat it in the freezer because if we got caught with it we would have no explanation of where we got it. The best thing was Loretta took flute lessons with me. Once a week we would take the bus across town together to have our lessons on the second floor of an old, interesting building. This was in the early 80's and Saskatoon ran a-muck with punk-rockers. The whole town was fascinating.

After the college year was over (I took the one year course, Loretta was going for the whole 3) I went home and didn't see or write (I don't know why I didn't write, it seems to be something I never do) to her. When she was done she came back home. That summer she fell in love, married and moved to Peterbough, Ontario, because her new husband was in bible college there. My sister, Heather, went to the same bible college so I got to visit with Loretta once while visiting Heather.

Some time later, 2 years maybe, Loretta and Wade moved back. I would visit and we saw each other at church and we were involved in youth ministry but we had very different lives. I was single, working, she was married, having children but she still had influence. There was this new guy at church. He got involved in youth ministry. We worked together but it wasn't until Loretta pointed him out to me as a potential mate ("I think he is good looking") that I took special notice. We got married the next summer.

Loretta's husband got a job as a pastor in a small prairie church and moved away again. I always felt I wasted those last years she was in town. I could have spent more time with her but I was to wrapped up in my own life and didn't get her's. It wasn't until I was having babies I started to miss her again. I would hear of her, what she was doing. Once her family was visiting and came to our house, met our kids and we met her's, again, they were older. But I never kept in touch.

One day, a little over three months ago, Loretta called me, she was in town. I was thrilled.

Then her tone drastically changed. Her parents were in a car accident and her dad was dead.

It was devastating news. Her mom's back was injured and Loretta would be staying for 3 months to help her mom and settle her father's affairs. I felt tragic sadness and joy all at once. It was so awsome reconnecting with her. but there's more.

She owns a townhouse on the same cresent i rent on. She has been renting it out for 11 years, unable to sell it. She offered it to me. She is giving it to us. All we need to do is asume the morgage. She said that God has blessed her and her family and now it is time to bless someone else. I am so glad it is me!

Love you Loretta! and thanks.

Labels: children's ministry, family

posted by Kellie Huffman at 8/12/2006 10:34:00 p.m.

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