Special Gift - Americana/Military/Memory Mini Album

I'm going to share a very special gift with you. I gave this mini album to my college friend a couple of weeks ago when I attended her military retirement ceremony at Langley Air Force Base. Bobbie and I lived across the hall from each other when we were freshman in college. We became fast friends and now 26 years later, we're still friends. I love making mini albums and usually they're blank for a gift but this time, I got to add the photos too.

I was fortunate to attend Bobbie's commissioning ceremony into the Air Force when she graduated from college. She joined the air force to see the world and was stationed in Missouri after living a large part of her life in Kansas. lol! ;) Her dad was in the army but they were stationed at Ft. Riley five times so Manhattan was a big part of her life.

I scanned a bunch of photos from that day and also from graduation and started putting her album together. 

We visited back and forth across the country as we all started our careers. Janese, another college 4th floor friend for life, and I went to Ohio.  Bobbie came to see us as well in western Kansas and northern New Mexico.

We always have fun and silly times when we're together. :)

I also scanned some pics from 4th floor Goodnow at Kansas State University. Bobbie had a camera with a timer (okay - that dates me a little because that was a big deal!). Silly fun! ;)

We had so many fun times with our crazy group of friends!

Anyway, it was a blast to go through all these old pics and put them into an americana type album.

A little bling - stamps from a bunch of companies - and cool sizzix shapes all worked together for the album.

We had some pretty memorable trips together. I brought her to Randall and introduced her to some of my favorite people - my parents and Trouble. Trouble was a lady back home who always had the coffee pot ready to go as well as a ready laugh and a hug. She always said "Come back when you can't stay so long." lol! She was one in a million! Bobbie loved her too and they exchanged cards for years. Bobbie called my parents her Randall parents and my mom and I quilted the very first quilt she made (see below). She put a picture of my dad with her family military photos at her retirement ceremony. It was a beautiful honor.

Bobbie has become quite the quilter and even made Janese stay up until 2 a.m. making a quilt block when we went to visit her in Ohio. Good times. They're both super talented!

Over the years the trips to see each other just didn't work into schedules. The last time we saw each other in person was 1998 before this July. We picked up right where we left off.

So, that's it. I left some space in the album for retirement ceremony photos. Bobbie asked me to sing the National Anthem at her ceremony. I was soooo nervous and so honored. :) Here's a pic of the two of us after all the festivities were over. It was such a fun trip and she has an amazing new path to follow! Thank you to Bobbie and to all of our military people for serving to give us the freedom we take for granted! It was great to spend time with her family and colleagues!

So, thanks for indulging me with a trip down memory lane and I hope everyone is as fortunate to have many wonderful friends in their lives! Work to keep them there because lifetime friends are special!

Have a wonderfully creative day!