We have such fond memories of the years we lived in St. Louis, and this is partly because of our friendship with Gary and Sandye Muncy who lived across the street. Sandye and I became such good friends - we talked and laughed and ate sunflower seeds while waiting for the school bus to bring our kids home. We took trips to the park, and Busch Gardens, and went camping together, and did all the things that families with young children do. Not only did I love to be with Sandye, all my kids loved to be with her. Whatever the kids were doing, she was in the thick of it. Often when my kids were bored, they would tell me they were going over to ask if Sandye could come out and play with them. When Dalin had to have major surgery, Sandye was such a help and comfort to me. She came to the hospital every day with her three kids to visit Dalin and brought him a toy every day. One day they came with a huge, yellow smiley face balloon that would hardly fit through the doorway. What a friend! Then there was the time Jeff lost his job and we were struggling to make ends meet. It's interesting how right at that time, the Muncys needed cabinets built in their garage and, if I remember, some work done in a bathroom, and they wanted Jeff to do the work. We were honored when Gary and Sandye asked Jeff and I to be godparents to their son Sean, and now he is all grown up and was just graduated from college. Jaron, Matt and Dalin were all good buddies, and we thought it'd be great if Kelly and Tyler grew up and got married. But plans change and a great career opportunity required a move back to Utah. Jeff moved to Utah and I stayed behind to sell the house. It was not a good summer for me to be alone taking care of 5 kids, while trying to maintain the house and yard. I remember times when Sandye would come over and help me scrub my kitchen floor to get ready for a realtor bringing a buyer through. During the next decade, the Muncys came to visit us in Utah and we went on a vacation to Yellowstone, and then several years later we rented a house boat at Lake Powell. We wondered if the kids would be shy around each other, but it was like they had never been apart. Then one year the boys flew out to spend some time in St. Louis, and Jeff and I drove out to pick them up, (am I remembering this correctly??) Now all the kids are grown and making their own lives, but the memories of those years still remain. Thank you Gary and Sandye for making those years so fun. You are the best!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDYE, YOU YOUNGSTER, I'M THINKING ABOUT YA!P.S. Hey you guys we now own a time share in a house boat on Lake Powell and would love to plan a reunion! It would be fun to see how many of our kids we could get together.
