Thursday, February 17, 2011

~~~~~~~~~~FOREVER MY FRIEND~~~~~~~~~~ Becky and Andrea the Nut

 ~ANDREA the NUT~
 7th Grade Photo

I first met my beautiful friend, Andrea (Andie), when the two of us were placed in the same homeroom class at the start of 7th grade.  The school year was 1970/71 and life in our growing Los Angeles suburb was truly exciting...or at least I thought it was!  
 
~BECKY the MOUTH~
7th Grade Photo 

I was about to cross the threshold from childhood into teenagerdom and was thrilled beyond reason to begin my life as a full-fledged junior-high school student.  That meant pantyhose, make-up, high-heels (small ones, per my father!) and the meeting of lots and lots of new friends cute boys.
 ~ANDIE the CHEERLEADER~

 Now...Andie was a real nut, and me, well, I was the unofficial class clown!  Combine those two lighthearted (notice I didn't say admirable) traits together with our mutual gift for gab, and one can easily see how Andie and I got ourselves into some real jams.  More times than not we were separated and not allowed to sit next to one another, which of course made our math class EXTRA BORING and meeting up behind the lunchroom gate all the more enjoyable.
 ~BECKY the CHEERLEADER~
(Don't Ask!)

By my account (and by every other girl and boy in our class), Andie was a knockout!  Not only was she funny and smart, but she was absolutely beautiful!  Oh...and on top of that she was NICE, too!  I'd have been perfectly happy to trade everything about me in exchange for anything and all of what she was...
 ~ANDIE the BEAUTY~
8th Grade Photo

By the time Andie and I made it to 9th grade I'd spent the night at her house at least a half a dozen times if not more.  We shared enough sleep-overs for me to dream about having pink rose wallpaper like she had in her 2die4 bedroom and to fall-in-like with her baby brother, Shaun...
~ANDIE IN PERSON~

Andrea was one of my dearest friends and so it's surprising to me now to realize how easy it was for us to lose touch with one another when my family and I moved away in 1974.  I suppose it's easiest to just say that people and interests change~  New friendships are made, fresh bonds are formed and life goes on and on and on...
  
~BECKY NEEDS BRACES~
8th Grade Photo

Facebook can be truly exciting when one is trying to reconnect with long-lost friends.  So~ when Andie found me and we linked back up in 2009 it was, in many ways, like the years just fell away.  We chatted on and off and I loved seeing pictures of her family and precious little grand-babies and hearing all about her life...
~ANDIE'S YEARBOOK NOTE~

Eventually time pressed in and I didn't hear from Andie for awhile...  But~I got busy (work and living does that to you if you let it) and I figured she was just busy, too!

Not so...
~GORGEOUS ANDIE - SENIOR 1976~

Just after Christmas I learned my longtime friend was in the hospital fighting for her life.  She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and is terminal.  Andie is currently too weak to undergo any further chemo treatment and I'm sad to say her days of living this side of heaven are numbered...  Except for a miracle she is not long for this world.
 ~ BEAUTIFUL ANDREA TODAY~

I'm broken hearted.

Today while I was praying for Andie and her lovely family I spent some time praying for my own imperfect heart as well.  I asked God to give me a sweeter spirit toward others and to forgive me for allowing some truly silly stuff to pick away at the person He's called me to be.  Because of Andie I'm going to try harder to make my Father in heaven proud...

"God be with you my sweet Andrea the Nut.  I pray God's mercy will reign down upon you this very moment and soften your pain and sorrow.  I know you are glory-bound and I give you my word...  I promise to meet up with you again someday, this time inside the Eastern Gate...  I love you...Becky"
~~*~~

Today I'm thinkin' I best get on with living the life I am called to live while I still have time...

Love to you...

29 comments:

Sonya Badgley said...

Rebecca,
I am so sorry to hear about your friend, Andie. I will pray for her and her family. And for your broken heart too.
Many hugs and blessings,
Sonya

Grannys Attic said...

Sending prayers for your sweet friend and you too. Blessings, Vicky

Unknown said...

Rebecca I cannot tell you how many times your post have hit home to me and have helped me thru quite a trying year for me. So dear friend I hope and pray for Andie that the Lord will be the footprints that walk beside her in her earthly travels and be the ones that pick her up when she can no longer walk the trail herself. I pray that our Lord helps you through your grief of knowing what she is going thru and in turn giving you a lead to follow. Know that we love and care and will try to help you where we can. Hugs Sharon

Nancy said...

Rebbecca,

I will be keeping you and your sweet friend in my Prayers.

Huggs, Nancy

Lesley said...

How heartbreaking Becky. My thoughts are with you and your dear friend. Blessings to you both

Theresa said...

Oh Dear Rebecca, I am giving you a big HUG and praying for your friend! What a sweet story of your friendship and the reconnect thru Facebook! Our time on this Earth is short but Eternal life everlasting is just breaths away! Love to you and prayers for Andrea and her family!

mariondee-designs said...

HI Rebecca, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I will say a prayer for her tonight along with other prayers for some of my hubby's family who lost their son earlier this week in a terrible accident. I totally agree with your last sentence in this post as we never know exactly when our time is up. take care, Maryann

NanaDiana said...

It's official- I am crying at work....ssoooo sad..and I have old friends now that have passed too...and the heartache never quite finds a bottom. Bless you- bless your friend...at this time I will pay for a peaceful passing for her. Love you and your dear heart, sweet Rebecca~ xxoo Diana

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

That is heartbreaking about your friend. What a tribute to your friendship, though! My prayers are with her and you in this difficult time.

Julie Marie said...

What a beautiful lady, inside and out... I am praying for Andrea... xoxo Julie Marie

Anonymous said...

I will be praying for your dear friend, too...I know your heart is hurting so...as we grow up and have responsibilities with a husband, children sometimes a job, and all of the things that go with all of this, we just don't really have time to always be in touch with our long-time friends..that is just life...I know you and Andie
were always close "in heart" whether you saw much of each other or not..she knows it, too..those things never change...
Have a happy weekend, sweet friend
Big hugs and love you, Francy

A Romantic Porch said...

Oh these are the truly hard hard moments of life...so thankful that for this...we have Jesus! Love and prayers and hugs and warm wishes to you. I feel sad. xo rachel

Rita said...

Oh Rebecca, what precious memories! Praying for your lifetime friend to have peace and comfort in her final days. I'm so glad that you were able to reconnect after so many years. Life is so short, isn't it? May we all live the most that we can while we still have time here on this earth. Blessings to you, my friend.

A Southern Rose said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. This post really opened my eyes this morning. You both will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Hugs to you,
Lee Laurie

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

Dear Rebecca it is at moments like this that all our earthly cares are put into perspective and the small, petty things in our lives melt away to leave the core essence of why we were placed here on this earth, at this time!
I have also been struggling with laying aside the dross and negative around me and treasuring the life I have been given, to shine the little light He gave me to share.
I pray this day that both of our journeys will be blessed with greater insight and I will pray for your beloved Andrea, may His will be done!
Tina xo

Wendy @ Ravenwood Whimzies said...

What a moving story...filled with happiness, sadness and learning. It brought tears to my eyes...I will pray for your sweet friend, and for you too. God bless you both.

Jen said...

Sorry about your friend. I needed to read this post this morning...

Jeannette

FairfieldHouse said...

Rebecca,

I am a stranger just blog hopping and came across this post. I sit here now with tears in my eyes, knowing all to well how you are feeling. Know that I am praying for you and your beautiful friend. Know there are no goodbyes for those of us that believe.

http://fairfieldhousenj.com/2011/01/24/the-moment-that-matters/

FredaB said...

Rebecca

I am so sorry for what is happening
to your friend but think if she had not found you on facebook you would not have had the chance to connect and renew your wonderful times together.

May she go peacefully.

Hugs

fredaB

Deanna said...

Blessings to you!

Sue @ Not the Good Scissors! said...

Such a beautiful and touching story Rebecca. Thank you for sharing. I will pray for dear Andrea and her family.
xoxo, Sue

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

How sad to find your friend again Rebecca, only to lose her soon to illness.
Just as you posted today, remember the happy memories you had with her long ago and you'll still have the photos from back then to remind you.
Judith

~Becca~Bluebird Rose said...

I am sorry about your friend. I hope and pray that she has a gentle and peaceful passing....
I now have that song "If we never meet again this side of Heaven" in my head....
"There's another meeting place somewhere in Heaven, by the side of the river of life."
(((((hugs)))))
~Becca~

Victorian1885 said...

Hugs...

Dolores said...

This is such a sweet and touching post...... I love the pictures.

We're all imperfect....striving to be better.....you're way ahead of most of us.

My prayers are with your friend and her family.
Hugs,

karen said...

Wonderful pictures. I am so sorry . I will be praying for her. My best friend lives in Texas and I Arkansas.But she calls me while the MTV awards are on every year to talk about who is winning and the grammys, and Oscars too. I call her some but to often. We text and email and are friends on facebook. I have so many friends from school on facebook that I don't remember . I have to look at the yearbook. And some of them I know I never said a word to in school. Weird . But they friend request me. That is nice. I pray for you and your friend. Best Wishes always.

Karen said...

Through the tears - many hugs. One of life's lessons. One of the hardest though...
Makes me think of the song by Mercy Me - I Can Only Imagine. Let's think of her that way - it gives me goosebumps to think of it...
Hugs my friend. Karen

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Ahhhh... Rebecca... I'm so sorry to read of your friend... We just never know where our journey will end, do we? Well, at least our earthly journey.. :-) I'm glad you had an opportunity to reconnect, I'm sure it meant a lot to Andrea too.

Huggies....

Spencer

White Lace and Promises said...

I'm catching up on all your old blogs and I found Andie...

My emotions are overflowing!

Since this post has Andie found complete healing in Her maker???

Just wondering.

Love you, my friend.
I am truly blessed to call you my friend.

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