Friends along the way---continued.

This brings me back to Oklahoma. I moved back here in 2001 and began working with Kathy S and Jan. They both helped me adjust from working in the "life world" to the "annuity world". We were a small team so we seemed to become close quickly. What I have learned about annuities I owe to one of the two of them. Kathy even became my manager for a time period and helped me get out of my comfort zone and take on some roles I wasn't sure I could do and found that I loved them and am grateful for the opportunity. Jan and I are back on the same team now and we sit by each other and are a support system for each other. Jan has a teenager and has to put up with me reminding her how glad that I am that I am past that stage in my life, although, her daughter is a good daughter and reminds me alot of Tracey. Jan also got me to do something I never thought I would do...that was to take a cruise. I went on a cruise with Debbie W for my 50th birthday and am now planning a second one later this year!

Debbie R is another friend I have made since moving back to OK. Although we knew each other when I worked here before, we didn't become friends until the second time I was working here. We like so many of the others continue to find how much we have in common and are a support system for each other. We also both like country music and went to see Blake Shelton at the Tulsa State Fair....what a night!!! Friends are so important at work but when they also become a part of your life, they are priceless.

During both of my times living in Oklahama, I also have three friends that aren't related to the office! First is Susan and Ellen, they are daughter and mother. I worked with Susan with the youth group during my first 6 years in OK. We became friends over the years and both share a love for animals. Ellen and Susan became our "Oklahoma family" quickly. If we could not make it home for the Holiday's we always had an open invite to join them. We did for many years and they made us feel like we were a part of the family. One doesn't often have the opportunity to have a friendship with both the daughter and mother and I have two sets (Goldie/Keli and Susan/Ellen.) Susan always had "Diane's room" at her house for me when I came back to visit the four years I was back on the east coast. In fact, when I moved to the east coast, they packed my stuff up a week early and I stayed at Susan's for that week! Susan and Ellen also worked with Gail and my sister-in-law Shirley to take care of Tracey's wedding reception so I didn't have to worry about it! What a relief! Susan and Ellen also hosted a brunch the day after the wedding at Susan's so that we could see Tracey and Bart open their wedding gifts before moving to Texas.

The other one is Gail. You saw that she helped with the reception! We worked with the youth group together too. Gail helped me when I took on the role of running the Wednesday evening youth night at the church. Her son, Levi and Tracey became friends also. My best memories with Gail are the movie nights we have shared over the years, where we got together and got caught up, ate junk food and watched movies, sometimes 2 or 3 a night! Gail has just recently moved to Arkansas and I miss those movie nights, I guess I'm going to have to go over there some weekend so we can have another one.