I think the first friend I ever really recall having was Melanie.  Our mothers both sang in the choir, so we’d be there under some pews in choir rehearsal trying to stay out of trouble.  On Sundays, we’d be sitting on the pews running our mouths trying to stay out of trouble during church.  On the weekends, we’d be at one or the other’s house playing with our Barbies and trying to stay out of trouble.  At some point, her mom got assigned to Minot, ND, but we continued to stay in touch.  Then my dad got stationed at Grand Forks, ND, and Mel and I were reunited.  After we moved back to Texas, Mel started making yearly visits to Texas and every time we saw each other, it was as if we never missed a bit.  Well, I don’t think I’d seen her since 2000 or so, and this past September, God allowed our paths to cross as she had a lay over between Japan and Germany in Baltimore.  It was as if we never skipped a beat!