A Nice Surprise!

A few years ago we had some neighbors across the street and a few houses down who had a little girl named Brittney.  Brittney is three years younger than Eler Beth and was about 4 years old when they moved into the neighborhood.  Eler Beth would speak to her and her mother when they were out in their yard, and pretty soon she and Brittney became friends.  Brittney couldn't pronounce the names Eler Beth or Elizabeth, so she called Eler Beth "Izzabeth" for a good two years at least!

If Brittney was playing at our house, Eler Beth would walk her home, teaching her how to cross the street.  When Brittney was getting ready to start school she expressed some nervousness to Eler Beth and Eler Beth told her all about the teachers she'd have in kindergarten and the school she'd be going to.  Brittney's mother asked Eler Beth to help her on the bus.

The first day of school Brittney was very excited and asked if she could wait for the bus with Eler Beth.  They sat together on the bus morning and afternoon.  One day when Eler Beth had to leave school early because of a doctor's appointment, one of Eler Beth's friends, Marisa, who also lived down our street, told Eler Beth that she'd keep an eye on Brittney for her.  She told us later that when Brittney got on the bus and went to sit in the seat she and Eler Beth usually sat in, looking all around for Eler Beth, Marisa told her that Eler Beth had had to leave school early and that Brittney could sit with her.  She said Brittney kept shaking her head and saying, "Izzabeth told me to sit here."

Well about three years ago Brittney's family moved to Florida.  The girls exchanged phone numbers and they kept in touch for a while, but somehow we lost their number, and apparently Brittney lost ours as well.  Once in a while Eler Beth would mention Brittney and wonder how she was doing.

Yesterday a red SUV pulled up in front of our house, and when I answered the door, there was Brittney!  Her mom, dad, and little brother smiled and waved from the SUV.  She looks exactly the same as she did three years ago, except for being quite tall for her age.  I called to Eler Beth, and when she stepped out onto the front porch I wished I'd had acamcorder running!

The girls spent a nice 40 minutes or more talking, walking around the yard and down by the creek, remembering little incidents and adventures they'd had, and going down the street to say hi to other friends while her parents and I talked.  They told me that Brittney mentions Eler Beth quite often, so when they decided to come up to visit family they told her they'd bring her by.  We exchanged phone numbers and addresses again, and when we go down to Florida to visit our family, we're going to call them and make arrangements to get together.

It was so nice to see them, and so wonderful to know that in this day and age two little girls can still form a friendship that can last over time and distance.  I can see the two of them far into the future keeping in touch, meeting each other's spouses and children, and getting together whenever they can.

Thank you Donna for the beautiful graphic.

Tags: Friendships