Friends from long ago... Part 2 - Melanie!

Part 2: Melanie Winder (affectionately known only as "Mel" by me!)...

This is a hard one for me b/c Mel has been my friend since we came out of the birth canal. Our parents were very dear friends. When my father was taken to the hospital while away on the tugboat, I stayed with Mel and her family.

Miss Pam (of which, I still endearingly call her!) used to watch me when we were little. Mel and her sister, Jen (who was closer to my sister, Michelle in age) have always been like the sisters that "weren't but were?"

A few memories that always run thru my mind when I think of Mel:

• "Lane"... the only thing the child has EVER called me - which is only used by the closest people in my life.
• Ballet with Miss Geyer right near Donk's Theater (pronounced DUNKS)
• Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches - of which I can no longer stomach because of how many we ate at your house... no offense, Miss Pam! :-)
• Always sleeping on "pallets" at nap time
• Sunday school and GA camp with Miss Donna
• Spit balls lovingly launched across the table at both of us courtesy of Curt or Jeremy DURING PRAYER in Sunday School!
• Sunday school picnics with Tommy trying to throw us in the pool
• The fact that EVERY TIME we went somewhere in the car Mel got to ride up front b/c she got violently car sick... Literally, people, EVERY TIME!
• Orange candy or mints - she LOVES the orange ones... (which was good b/c those were my least favorite!)
• Drawing on each others hands, writing notes or playing tic-tac-toe in preachin'
• Stepping up to the plate without being asked to help with my wedding reception set up
• And who could forget going to the mall together with our moms to get our ears pierced - one ear gun at the time at age 6?! OUCH!
• And of coarse the notorious "Festivus song" (if you want to call it a SONG?) left on my voicemail EVERY YEAR... she's NEVER forgotten!

But those aren't "THE" memory...

The biggest and hardest memory was hearing that my daddy had gone to heaven sitting on her doorstep. Thats "THE" big one. I was 4.5 years old when Mel leaned over gave me a hug and said that we could "share hers"... THAT's the biggest memory! And she's been sharing her daddy ever since! I love me some Mr. Howard and Miss Pam... The Hawplaw!

I love you so much that it hurts, Mel ! You're my longest, dearest and most fondly remembered friend...