Let's go back a little bit

Last week I was on facebook just checking out some friends. I had recently added some friends I went to school with in 1st - 3rd grade at Claiborne Academy. Some of these "old" friends I still see around every now and then and some I haven't seen in years. That got me to thinking about my friends from elementary school, like my very best friend, Kayla. She lived on the street behind my house so we not only saw each other at school but also at each others house. Do you remember the days your mom would allow you to walk around the neighborhood all by yourself and she didn't have to worry about some crazy person snatching you up? The only thing I worried about when I was walking to her house was the dog that lived across the road from her that would try to attack me every time I walk by. As I remember, it was a little dog but it had the biggest bark I had ever heard and I'm sure it didn't really try to "attack" but I know it scared me every time. Anyway, I decided I would just give it a shot and see if I could find Kayla, hoping she had gotten into world of facebook. It took me all of about 3 minutes to find a Kayla Harris Johnson that graduated from Ruston High School in 1983. One look at the picture and I knew it was her. I sent her a request to add her to my friends and I was so excited to hear from her in less than an hour. At that point, we started catching up on the last 30 years.

In third grade (I think it was) Kayla's parents moved her away from me and took her to all the way to Ruston. It may as well have been on the other side of the earth to a 9 year old. When I was little we didn't go to Ruston much, now we hop in the car and go to Ruston all the time. I can still remember how sad I was the day she left.

I went over to my mom's house last night to help her clean out some closets and look at the pictures I found. This is one of my birthday parties (I don't know which one). There is my little brother, Keith (looking like he is ready to dive right in), Kayla, me, Susan Camp and Amy Hightower.
Then another birthday party at the park. At this one was Cathy Copeland, my cousin Ann, Kayla, me, cousin Sylvia, Susan Camp and Keith. (Sylvia, I found some of me and you I'll be posting soon, keep watching)
This picture is of the 1971-72 1st grade class at CA. I didn't even remember having this picture so I was very excited to find it. Look at all those sweet, innocent little faces. Mrs. Hays may have not thought we were all so innocent but she loved everyone of us. There is Kayla in the 2nd row, 1st desk. I am in the 5th row, 4th desk. I can still name almost everyone in this picture. There are only 2 or 3 that I can't remember their name. I'll do my research though and find out. I hope you can enlarge this picture and take a good look. Remember the Rebel Review? It was a big program they put on at the school every year. We were in first grade here. That's me on the far right, beside me is Natalie Burchum, then Kayla, I can't tell who is beside Kayla, then Linda Lowe, Patrica Johnson, and I think, Amy Hightower.
Kayla came back to visit me one summer after she had moved to Ruston and we moved from Willow Street to the country. She reminded me of the visit. Her memory is so much better than mine. Sometimes I need a little nudge to get my memory working. This picture of Kayla was made in Aug. 1975 while she was visiting me. Just look at that sweet face.I know I have more pictures from those days, this is just all I found in one closet at my mom's house. I'm still looking.

We were in high school the last time I saw Kayla. She came to Homer with her dad to visit some friend. She was uptown with Scott when I saw here. We figured it has been close to 30 years since we have seen each other. She lives in Baton Rouge now, married with four children and a new son-in-law and a worship leader at her church.

Kayla has a blog and I think you should go read it. You can find the link on my profile page under the blogs I follow, Worshipping Warriors. She has a beautiful way with words and she is so in love with Jesus. For those of you that are from this area you have probable heard of her father, Glenn Harris. He writes hunting and fishing stories for several papers. She certainly shares his gift. I have often thought I would get in touch with Mr. Glenn and get her address and just never did, not sure why. I guess life just got in the way. I hate to think of all the years we lost by not staying in touch. I would loved to have been there at her wedding and for her to have been at mine, and to have shared in the joy of the birth of each of her children and for her to have shared my joy at the birth of mine and there to help her with all the many details of planning and preparing for the wedding of her oldest child this past summer. But, that wasn't God's plan. I believe God's plan was for us to reconnect last week and start a "new" friendship as adults.

My suggestion to you is this: if you have an old friend you haven't talked to in a long time and would really like to get back in touch with, do it. Believe me, it is well worth it. Kayla, I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Thanks for letting me share this exciting time with you guys.
Charlene