meet two of my "girls"

These are two of my "girls". Linda, on the left is the 1st foster child I ever had and Tammy, on the right is the 27th....... and the last foster child I had! This was an historic picture, for this is the first time these two ever met!! (It was taken last night, as Linda had stopped by to pick up something which she had forgotten from the week-end and Tammy was just finishing up some work for me.)


Let me explain. Linda came in 1960, as a senior in high school, and by 1965 or 66, she had received an LPN degree, married and moved to California with her children and we only saw one another occasionally over many years, but were in contact by phone and letter. For the last 20 years or so, she has come to Portland more frequently as she has a son and his family living here. When she came for visits, the two of us would always meet for lunch someplace, but
while Tammy was still in the home, I guess Linda was never at the house.

Then in the last twenty years Linda usually spends a week-end with me when she visits, but. of course, Tammy works and has her own place---so, anyway, each had always known of the other, but last night was the first time they had met face to face. (They were both at Mother's funeral, but didn't meet)

Linda went on to get very specialized training in brain wave testing, and enjoyed a wonderful career in that field. She is enjoying her first year of retirement and is loving every minute of it.
Only ten years younger than me, we were reminiscing this past week-end over our years together. She said as a teenager, the ten years seemed a huge difference, but now we are older, it makes us contemporaries.

Tammy came to me at age nine and she was a handful!! But we hung in there, and today she is my helper girlie! She has the gift of helps and is a willing hand whenever I need some thing done. It works for both of us, for she knows my fussiness, so she is my perfect "hired" help, and she, in turn, is able to earn a little extra money each month.

Tammy is gifted with children, works with the high school youth at her church, and for her "real" work .....where else?.......in a day care center! She does quite a bit of baby sitting on the side and seems always in demand from someone needing her help. (She trained at North West Nanny Institute out of high school)

So there you have it--the first and the last. I have had a fulfilling life and these two "girls" have been a huge part of that busy, busy life with all of its ups and downs.