We Have The BEST Friends!!!

     Two weekends ago, Arland and I traveled to Medora for a reunion of NDSU college friends. This is a rather unusual group because we have been getting together each summer for 42 years!!!!!! Yes, you read that right...42 years!

 

     The group began getting together in July of 1972. The majority of us were still attending NDSU and most of us were not yet married.  We just had a really close, tight-knit group of both young men and women that wanted to get together to camp during the summer before the fall quarter started...and so we did.

 

     As the years went by, we continued to camp during the summers. Some of us eventually married someone from the group (Yes, Arland WAS at that first campout in 1972!) and some married others. Eventually, the group evolved into eight couples that met every summer.

 

We all had babies during the early years.  As those children grew, they all became friends with the other children in the group. Many of them are friends and still keep in touch today. Camping with ALL those little children was always interesting back then!

 

     Then the weddings began! For quite a few years, our reunions were planned around which couple's child was getting married that summer. And there were a lot of them!!! Our group made one big change when we decided to begin staying in motels instead of camping which occurred during the "weddings" years. We all decided it's a lot easier getting ready for a wedding in a motel room rather than a tent or camper!!!

 

     Finally, all of us were empty nesters so we decided to add another get-together into the mix. We now have a "Winter Conference" around February of each year to visit and catch up on what has happened since our summer get-together! We have made soooo many wonderful memories!!!

     Two weekends ago, our group met in Medora for our summer get-together. We all attended the Musical on Saturday night. The weather was cool at the Musical so everyone had sweatshirts on. We sat in a group with about seven seats in front of the other seven seats. Arland and I were in the front set of seats.

 

     Phyllis, my college roommate and dear, sweet friend, took her sweatshirt off which I thought was unusual because she is not usually warm but I dismissed it without a second thought and went on visiting with the friend next to me.

 

Finally, she got my attention and said, "Gee, Verna. I guess you didn't get the email!" I had NO idea what she was talking about so I asked her, "What email???" She replied, "The email I sent to everyone!"

 

Again, I was TOTALLY lost so I asked again, "Hmmm... which email was that?" Finally, with a huge grin on her face, she told me to turn around and LOOK at our group. Nearly everyone in our group had taken their sweatshirts off to reveal a sea of PINK shirts. They had all worn PINK shirts in support of my fight against breast cancer!  I was soooooo surprised and overwhelmed by everyone's support!!! That was just the best surprise! It meant the world to me! As I said before, we have the BEST friends!

 

I have attached a picture we took later on that evening to show our AWESOME friends!!! Phyllis, the one who planned this incredible surprise is the one on my left. She even has PINK shoelaces!!!

                                 Here is our crew from L to R...

Back row - Bob S., Roz S., Rod H., Sandy S., Diana D., Rod K., Larry D., Marilyn H., Arland, Jerry D.
Front row - Margaret K., Margaret D., me, Phyllis W., Michael W.


     As far as Phyllis's email went, NO I did NOT get it!!!  :-)   However, I wonder what she thought when we all arrived Friday afternoon and I was wearing a PINK t-shirt!!!???!!!