*Great Idea = Great Party!*

First of all, I have to say "Hooray for Facebook", because without it this little luncheon would have been very difficult to make possible. We're all so spread out now it would have been almost impossible!!

I was very fortunate to grow up in an incredible ward. I actually enjoyed going to church, and I usually even looked forward to it. I truly just loved everyone in that ward, and they really felt like an extended family to me. I was also very fortunate to be in an exceptional Young Women's group. In Junior High and High School, it's very easy to get in your own little group of friends, and snub people who you think aren't cool enough for you to talk to.....and that can linger over into the YW group. But not in my ward! We were ALL friends, and it still amazes me today that we all got along so well and truly cared about each other! Young Women's was a blast, and it's the one calling that I keep hoping and praying that I will get. No luck so far.

I was also blessed to have some incredible leaders. I have fantastic parents, but sometimes you need another adult that you can talk to freely and will give you good advice that your parents just can't....for no reason other than that they're your parents. My laurel's leaders filled that role for me. Lynn in particular. I call her my fairy godmother, because she's the one who came along and gave me something extraordinary out of something that I saw every day. My parents taught me everything that I needed to know, but she was the one who got my brain actually thinking about it. I really do feel that she is a very large part of why I chose to get married in the temple. She taught me why it was important. I was lucky enough to get a picture of the two of us at our big lunch reunion....she HATES getting her picture taken! But, I needed one since I plan on naming my first daughter after her!!!

It really is amazing that after so many years that we can get together and talk and laugh like it has only been a week. I suppose that the really good food from Maddox helped too. ;) I really love you girls, and you all remind me of a time of my life that hold some of my most favorite memories. You're all so fantastic it blows my mind!!! I hope that we are able to do this again in a couple of years, and that even more will be able to come...it was too much fun this time around to not do it again!!