I know some of you are working on your “Sister Stories”, so I thought I’d throw one out to you and maybe get you motivated.  It’s all about memories.  Can’t wait to share yours!

Julie, Lauri & Paula at Tri-State Music Festival ~ Enid, OK

When I moved to Tuttle, Oklahoma, I was just six years old.  I had barely started first grade in Duncan, when my dad’s job moved us.  I was shy and timid when it came to groups and certainly to starting another first grade class of total strangers.  My mom took me.  I can still recall the smell of the hallway.  Like a pine cleaner that covered up puke .  Mrs. Turley, my new teacher, introduced herself and then guided me into a room full of kids, all in shared double desks.  She walked me back to a desk and said something like, “You will share a desk with Julie.  She just moved here, too.”  I had never heard the name Julie before.  I wished my name was Julie.

The next year, in second grade, another family moved to Tuttle.  They moved into a two-story house close to ours.  I really wanted to go up those stairs.  No, I wanted a two-story house! There were two girls, the younger being Lauri.  It was not pronounced ‘Lori”…it was pronounced LAWRI.  Another new name!

Fast forward to the summer before our senior year.  Julie, Lauri and I (Paula), all best friends, were dragging Main Street in Lauri’s way cool old black truck that Papa George had fixed up for her.  It was a hot night and we had the windows down and we were doing what we loved to do, laughing and singing.  I don’t recall which song was playing.  Probably a Beach Boys or Huey Lewis.  But we knew every word and we sang it like we owned it.  And THEN, the most embarrassing thing that could happen to three girls on Main Street, happened.  A Tuttle policeman turned on his lights and pulled us over.  The crime?  We were singing too loud!  We were, according to him, disturbing the peace.

Papa George had a visit with Mr. Policeman the next day. After that, we kept on singing and he didn’t bother us.  We still kinda giggle about that night. Especially since Julie is a music teacher and Lauri sings on the worship team at her church.  Yep, 45ish years later, and we still hang out together when we can. I love my girls. ♥

Send in your stories and/or photos….it will “take you back” ~

At Julie’s wedding ~

30th Class Reunion (below)