Dear Joanna, My heart has that “full and happy” feeling, after looking through your letters, cards and pictures, and thinking about our 10+ years of quality friendship. I am so thankful for our history together. I can look back and see how we have both grown as women–as wives and mothers and friends. When I have a terrible day and something happens, I call you. When I have some tremendously exciting news, I call you. There is no one who can take your place in my life. We’ve managed to foster a friendship that has stood the test of time and distance! I hope that your 30th birthday is a wonderful day. Can you believe we’re in our 30’s now? I wonder what the years will bring. Whatever happens, you can always count on Shanda Banda! Love you.
I have your letters and cards. . . . . .”More than kisses, letters mingle souls;
for thus friends absent speak.”
Shanda Banda and Jo
I have pictures. . . . . . .“A friend is a second self”
Isn’t it nice to have history?
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“A friend is someone who sees through you and still enjoys the view”
“Is is my friends that have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges, and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation.”~Helen Keller
“To have a friend is to have one of the sweetest gifts that life can bring: to be a friend is to have a solemn and tender education of soul from day to day”
“Writing creates a santuary. It is a place were friends, although apart, can meet.”
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
Philippians 1:3
Good to be Home 
You totally took my idea! LOL! I have piles of all your letters saved, and since you are more faithful I have more from you than you do from me! I had the blog planned out in my mind! So funny that we both thought the same thing!
Thank you for this…it was a very very nice gift! SO funny to see in the pictures you put up how we have aged!
I cherish this “life-long” friendship!
Do you mind if I make some of this public? I could chop out the personal little note on top. You’re very welcome and I hope that you still go through w/your idea, I’d like to see your version. You better! :)I have more of your letters, they just aren’t all in the picture. I have run out of free downloads for the month or I would’ve posted more.Rich is away tonight.
Shanda why don’t you use photobucket? You won’t run out of downloads that way. Let me know if you want to, I can send you info on how to use it.
I don’t mind at all, when I first read it I thought it was.
Okay everyone is in bed I gotta’ go… Love, JO
Okay. I want to use photobucket if it won’t take too much time. I already have an account, but I haven’t been able to figure out how to get a picture over here at xanga. I only get little squares w/a red “x”.
This was an awesome tribute to my sister! Good friends are so priceless. I know you are very near and dear to her heart!
Also, you have to try out photobucket! it takes an extra step or two to download pictures but they will show up larger on your blog and it doesn’t use up your dowloads… you can put in as many as you want! I will email you instructions if Jo hasn’t already.