My Surrogate Life: my perspective of a miracle part 2

This story began in in 1978 (I wasn't whistling Dixie when I told you it was a long, LONG story.....we will see who makes it to the end of this series of post...there will be a summative assessment upon completion .....ever the educator......anywho....) and I was living in Glencoe, Alabama. I just finished the 5th grade and my dad (who worked for Good-year) got transferred to a little town in Ohio called St. Marys.

I was 11 years old and not long after we moved  I met Missy. We became instant BFFs and were inseparable............. I must add at this point that I found it very ironic that 1978 was the year the 1st "test-tube baby"  was born (which, I now know, was very poor reporting  because it all takes place in a Petrie dish and NOT a test-tube at all) and btw....this is now the process you all know as IVF. I can even remember Missy and I talking about this back then because it was all over the entire 7 channels of  TV in 1978!

*****I need you to know there is a third person the realm of my and Missy's bestfriendom...her name is Jill and she was and is the 3rd leg to our stool...that too is a whole other story but whenever me and Missy are, so too is Jill!!!

********another side note that you, as reader,  need to be aware of is that I have the memory of an elephant , which I might add my friends consider a horrible trait.....so I tend to venture off the story path often because there is so much that must be inserted!!!

Now, back to the scheduled story....... I lived in that small town for my 6th and 7th grade years and then, when I was 13, my dad got the news that we were being transferred again.....to Northern Ireland.

Now, when I say Northern Ireland, I am not talking about a town in some state called Northern Ireland......I am referring to the country of Northern Ireland. This move overseas is a whole other story that may or may not be written down.......depending on how this one goes!!!

So, in 1980,  we got on the ol' jetliner and moved to Lurgan, Northern Ireland. While Missy and my other friends were attending 8th and 9th grade I was in a British grammar school in the 3rd and 4th form.....again...another story for another day. But during this time, Missy and I stayed in touch by letters...written on REAL paper.......because there was no such thing as the Internet not to mention that in the early 80's a computer was literally the size of a house . We occasionally, we would talk on the phone (but not often because an overseas call cost the amount of an operating budget of a small country).

While I was living in N. Ireland......going to school attempting to learn ( and doing a poor job, i might add) calculus, physics, German, Latin, and about 15 other subjects.......Missy was babysitting and selling candy to raise money to come and visit. After a near civil war......and I am not even kidding about that ....google it..... Missy came to N. Ireland to visit for a month when we were going into our 11th grade year.

After that I would go back and visit during summers and Christmas..... I went to an American boarding school in London, England my 10th grade year, Mallorca Spain my 11th grade year and Canada my 13th grade year (skipped 12th) and went to college at Auburn University while she lived in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan the whole time....and through it all Missy and I remained bonded and BFF's even though whenever lived in the same state again.

We always tried to see and talk to each other as often as possible. We were in each other's wedding
and were always a part of each other's life.

When people learn this about our background, it seems to make our story that much more interesting. Our friendship was not something either if us took for granted and we didn't really know why. As you know, people are very busy and it is easy to disregard the importance of friends....especially friends that live 1500 miles apart, but we never did. We always made it a priority. Looking back, I do know why now....but at the time we just knew we needed each other....and I believe that, in and of itself, was the beginning of the miracle!

OK....I didn't intend for this part to be so long...but I believe if you are going to do something, then you need to give it your all.

.....on the next episode (again....I am reminded that i watch WAY too much tv) the #1 question will be answered!!!  how did this whole thing occur???? did she ask....if so how? If not, did you bring it up randomly???....tune in next time :)...