The Golden Girls--Happy Birthday, Stoff

(Me and Stoff in my college dorm room)

Today is my friend, Stoff's, birthday. She is too busy these days homeschooling, married to a farmer and being a grandma, but I have to say, Happy Birthday! The last of the Mighty Women Foursome to hit 50. Four of us girls got together last month because we were all turning 50. It was a blast--as always--with Jill"olga", Linder Woman, Stoff and me, (Beanpole ha, right.)

Stoff, Linder Woman and Beanpole in a photo booth

Jillolga, who was named as such because she was this tiny little redhead who was on the gymnastic team, is now a nurse and a nursing professor at a major Christian university. She cracked us up, first by bringing her scrapbooks from high school (outrageous!) and then by talking about her daughters--one of whom loves horses and competes. Jillolga said in a voice reminiscent of Indiana Jones as he was lowered into his hated pit of snakes, "Horses. Anything but horses."

Stoff loved horses in HS and she finally got horses when she married her husband who farms. She ended up homeschooling and has 6?, I think 6, kids (I forget because she also has grandkids.) In fact one of her boys who is grown up and married was having his second child as we sat there at breakfast. We got to hear the Stoff "squeal" that we remembered from high school when she got the call.

Linder Woman was my roomie from college. She now is a whiz at Sew Biz and knows everything there is to know about sewing and Viking machines. Her hubbie and boys are all wonderful people and her extended family are in some of my best memories (she grew up across the road from me--in fact, her dad built our house!)

These girls will always be my "forever" friends--girls I went with to church, youth group, Campus Life, school, ballgames, sleep overs and even to Jillolga's family weekends at Quaker Haven camp. We were in each other's weddings and until life got in the way, kept in touch regularly.

Birthday party in Linder Woman's and my dorm room

first row: Fox, Jules, Beanpole, Jillolga

second row: Linder Woman, Cindy, Stoff

(Only Jules isn't 50 this year...)


So, Linder is the oldest hitting 50 in October; Jillolga in November; Me in December; and finally Stoff in January. I guess you can call us The Golden Girls now!