I miss Judy...

My friend, Judy Aycock, is in Heaven.  She has been there for over 20 years now.  And I miss her like crazy all the time.  A little history now: my grandparents lived and farmed in south GA and down the road from them lived the Aycock family who also farmed.  There were 6 children in the Aycock family, an older set of 3 and a younger set of 3.  The youngest one was Judy - exactly my age.  Her sister was a year or so older and their brother a year or so older than that.  Judy and I - love at first sight - and that first sight was as very small children.  She is the only person I've ever known that I can't remember meeting, we'd known each other so long.  When I visited my grandparents with Daddy during summer and Christmas vacations, Judy and I were inseperable.  We played together and were up and down the road at her house and Granny and Grandaddy's.  We mostly played at her house because, being a farm family, she had chores.  And those chores didn't get put off when she had someone to play with - I tagged along with her milking, feeding the animals they had, etc.  When we could, we rode bikes and played outside.  She was so proud when she taught me a skill - I became a "country girl" when I was around her.  When we weren't together we wrote letters constantly all through our school years, during our marriages and having children.  She ALWAYS sent me a birthday card - always - never forgot - ever!  We continued to visit as adults and enjoyed each other as much as when we were little.  Then, Judy got sick - a brain tumor that eventually took her life.  We were 30. I got the call that she was gone and I remember it clearly - sick with grief I attended her funeral.  I know where she is and that was/is some comfort, but it sure is lonelier here without her.  I love me some Judy Aycock!