Hold On...About to Get Sentimental...

So I've been spending a lot of time on FaceBook lately...a lot of time. It fascinates me. In a few short days I have reconnected with people that I thought were lost forever to time. Now, granted, the majority of my "friends" are people that I could hop in my car and be in their driveways in less than 30 minutes, but there are those that I am still in awe over having found.

I found all of my college roommates...and one just had a baby on Thursday! Congratulations, Lindsay and Dave! If it weren't for FaceBook...I never would have known about Miss Bailey.

I found a couple of guys I went to highschool with...we use to toilet paper people's houses together...good times.

I found lots of girls that were in Teacher Ed with me at OBU...Yah, big shout out to 3rd floor McClellan!

And then, most amazingly to me, because you can't find them on HighSchool and College searches, I found a few of my MK buddies...and, I found my first best friend. Her name is Emily. Emily and I went to Bangladesh when we were both 5 as missionary kids. We went to Kindergarten together. We lived in the same duplex. We were inseparable...even when our families were moved out to different villages...it was like nothing changed when we got back together at Mission Meetings and Retreats. When my family moved to Thailand, Emily and I began to lose touch a bit...I think I remember writing letters, I'm sure we did. Then, when we moved back to the States, that was it. Never really saw or heard from her again. I think that their family was at my sisters' wedding, but can't remember that either, really. And then, yesterday...I found her on FaceBook. Memories flooded back. She had pictures of her family in her album, and I wanted to cry looking at her mom, dad, and brother....they were our family. Our parents were best friends. We spent vacations together. These were the people that we clung to over there.

So, since I found her, my mind has been moving back to those years overseas. I was so young when the experience began; I didn't know enough to try really hard to remember things. I didn't know that one day I wouldn't be able to remember the colors and smells. That I wouldn't be able to remember the people and the language. So, now, I sit here trying to visualize it all, trying to hear the voices of the people, trying to remember the slightest of memories...and all I see are photographs...pictures that my parents took while there. I've seen those pictures a million times...now those are what I think of when I think of Bangladesh...except for one thing...

My memories of my friendship with Emily...these memories are active...they are not still photographs...they are of us running and laughing...

Our lives are on two completely different courses now. Probably don't have much in common anymore. But, there has to be something said for a first best friend...that when you find them after 20 something years you say, "Oh my goodness, I'm SO GLAD I found you!"