My Friend

It is hard to believe I have only known Ronda for 5 years. We didn't attend each other's weddings, know each other in our 20's, or know each other without our spouses. We were introduced for the first time in Spokane at a computer conference by mutual acquaintences and she talked to me like she had known me for years. About a year later she attended a workshop on PowerPoint I was putting on and she ended up helping the person sitting next to her more than I did. It was this night that I found out that she was pregnant with Landon and I already suspected I was pregnant with Kyndra. Ronda was working at a school that was going to be closed down and I started getting this grand picture in my head of us job and baby sharing the following year. I went to my supervisors who knew Ronda and her reputaton in the schools, they gave me the green light to try and make it work. When I first asked Ronda if she would be interested she didn't respond, so I thought not. So I asked again! I just knew we would be a good team. Now, five years later, our husbands both work at the ESD, our kids are starting Kinder next year together, we are in different departments, but we still are a good team! This picture is from the Crystal Apple Awards which we won together.

Ronda amazes me!
She can cook, sew, draw, scrapbook, and quilt.
She has butchered chickens, milked cows, driven tractors, and managed a Taco Bell.
She installed a phone by her bed so I could call her to come watch Kyndra when Avery was on the way.
There is almost always a smile on her face.
People are drawn to her in a way unlike I have ever seen, especially children.
Most of the people I call my friends and family I have met through Ronda.
She is always putting others first, sometimes so much that she forgets to take care of herself.
I would be blessed to have half of her patience.
I would be lucky to have half of her memory.
I would love to cook half as good as she does.
I am so fortunate to be able to call Ronda my friend, lucky me!

Happy Birthday, Ronda! I love you!