Friends

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When I was in high school, I saw a group called The Continental Singers perform at a church and I was hooked! Their mix of music, choreography and camaraderie was addicting for me. Much like Buddy the Elf, singing was my favorite...and it quickly became a dream of mine to one day be a part of this singing group. Several years later I went through the audition process and was soon told that I had been accepted. I was so excited! If I could describe the level of excitement I felt it would be the equivalent of today hearing, "You're going to Hollywood!" :-) My first tour was the Summer of 1994. After heading to Denver for an intense week or two of rehearsals we boarded our bus and were off! We toured the Midwest, Southeastern US and Jamaica and I had the time of my life. I made many wonderful friends and I was hooked! When the Summer of 1995 rolled around I signed up for another tour.  This time our rehearsal was in the Los Angeles area and my group toured the Western US, Alaska and Western Canada. Little did I know just how much this tour would impact the rest of my life. I met a ton of very talented and amazing people, some of which I'm still in touch with to this day. But no one relationship is more precious to me than the one I have with the girl who was from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan...who fast became my best friend.

I know the term "best friend" seems a bit high school but I don't know how else to best describe our friendship. As Anne of Green Gables would say, she is my kindred spirit. She is more like a sister to me than anything. Despite the fact that we've lived 1500 miles apart our entire friendship and we only see each other about once a year, she knows me almost better than I know myself. We've laughed so much together. We've cried together. I was there that fateful night when she first met her husband and I was in her wedding. We've encouraged each other and spurred each other on and just been plain silly together. We've baked bread together and she's shared with me her secret family bread recipe. (Thanks jokester Edna!) I have grown to love her husband and the friendship that we share. And she likes that I watch sports with him when I visit so she doesn't have to. :-) I've watched her kids grow up and been a small part of their lives across the miles. There is nothing I love more when I visit than simply "doing life" with her. Grocery shopping, picking the kids up from school, sitting on the couch together watching "Say Yes to the Dress" marathons and, of course, "American Idol" and occasionally having the privilege of singing on her church's worship team with her. Stuff we don't ever get to do physically together.

She now lives in Abbotsford, BC and recently I traveled there to spend 10 days with her and her family. Each of us knowing that this would be our last visit before I move to Brazil. And our next one would not be for 3-4 years. But that was not the focus of our visit. God blessed us with such a sweet time together and I'm so very thankful for this person who is so very excited for me to get to Brazil. No matter how painful it is for her/us. Definitely the hardest part of being a missionary are the good-byes...and this was one of the hardest for me. Her kids cried which made me cry. But it just makes me so thankful for the blessing of this family in my life. It hurt to leave them because we have so much love for each other. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

So, enjoy these pictures of my trip to Canada. And let me introduce you to Angie - my best friend, kindred spirit, sister. Thanks Love, for the past 16 years! I look forward to the next... 

always,
ames