Whitty Woo and I first met when we were in 4th grade at a church dinner for the newly formed Columbia City Branch (a branch is a small congregation of the Mormon church). Our friendship formed fast. Partly because we were both fun girls and partly because there weren't a lot of other kids at church.
Even though Whitley and I lived a half hour apart, we did so many things together in middle school and high school. We camped in her backyard, played tennis but lost all the tennis balls, talked about boys for hours, went to church youth activities, watched Disney Channel Original Movies, etc. Whitley always did everything first, though. She went to a church dance first. She went on a date first. She kissed a boy first. She applied to college first. She got married first. She had a baby first. Basically, Whitley was my example. And luckily she was a good one.
One Sunday, my sister and I ended up having to sit by ourselves at church. We weren't expecting it to be just us two, so I'm sure 15 year old Amy and 9 year old Kristen looked a little timid walking up to the front of the chapel where the only seats were available. Whitley almost immediately came up and sat right by us. I'm pretty sure I was fighting back tears of gratitude then, and I know I'm doing it right now.
Whitley's whole family was like that to me. They all treated me like one of sisters. Whitley has three older sisters and I always looked up to all of them. They get their goodness from their parents. Carlene and Ross are great people, and I was so blessed to have that whole family be a part of my life in high school. Even now they are still excited for me when they find out things like I'm moving back to Indiana and having a baby.
Whitley and the rest of the Stallers cannot be beat.
I cannot even begin to say how grateful I am for all of them.
Even though Whitley and I lived a half hour apart, we did so many things together in middle school and high school. We camped in her backyard, played tennis but lost all the tennis balls, talked about boys for hours, went to church youth activities, watched Disney Channel Original Movies, etc. Whitley always did everything first, though. She went to a church dance first. She went on a date first. She kissed a boy first. She applied to college first. She got married first. She had a baby first. Basically, Whitley was my example. And luckily she was a good one.
One Sunday, my sister and I ended up having to sit by ourselves at church. We weren't expecting it to be just us two, so I'm sure 15 year old Amy and 9 year old Kristen looked a little timid walking up to the front of the chapel where the only seats were available. Whitley almost immediately came up and sat right by us. I'm pretty sure I was fighting back tears of gratitude then, and I know I'm doing it right now.
Whitley's whole family was like that to me. They all treated me like one of sisters. Whitley has three older sisters and I always looked up to all of them. They get their goodness from their parents. Carlene and Ross are great people, and I was so blessed to have that whole family be a part of my life in high school. Even now they are still excited for me when they find out things like I'm moving back to Indiana and having a baby.
Whitley and the rest of the Stallers cannot be beat.
I cannot even begin to say how grateful I am for all of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment