No Price Tag

There can be no price placed on good friends. When you can count your truest friends on one hand, you can consider yourself blessed. All this time, I have lived here in Hawaii and one of the truest friendships was just under my nose.

I met Stacie at church last spring (2008) when we were both sweating it out in the nursing room at church. We both had newborns - David (aka "Joe Baby" or "DII") is 2 months younger than Noah - and we were both a bit frazzled. I couldn't tell you what we talked about but I can tell you that I watched Stacie and envied her thin figure and the fact that her big baby was nursing soooo much (everyone knows my struggle with nursing despite my desire) and I just wanted to be like her!


Yet, we developed a close friendship in this past year. It took a while because I had NO desire to make any new friends and certainly didn't have the energy... but she persisted. And I don't think she will ever know how thankful I am that she pursued my friendship, because it is now among the most valuable in my life. Even the day after my stupid accident a week ago, she showed up right away with a huge pot of spaghetti. She just can do anything - despite having a 1 year old learning to walk!!!!

We spent Easter with her and her big Hawaiian family. Fitting in with the locals has been very important to me and to Dan; we don't want to give anyone here the slightest impression that we don't respect the culture or the people of Hawaii like many foreigners do so often. Dan, Noah and I were the whitest people in the Valley (Waianae which is on the west side and full of rich Hawaiian culture) but you would never have known we weren't actually a part of the family: they welcomed us with open arms and we left their home wanting to go back immediately.

Stacie and I are kindred spirits. We might have grown up very far apart from one another and with very different cultures, but the most important thing is that we both love our Savior more than our next breath. That love is followed by our love for "our boys" and then our families. And we laugh! I feel so completely comfortable with her and can just be myself.

So, tonight as I am posting my photos from our last Easter in Hawaii, I wanted to express my gratitude to my dear, sweet friend Stacie. God is so good - he puts people in our lives JUST when we need them.... even when we think we can't use anyone else in our lives. And it is perfect that our hubbies and our babies love each other too!

I am thankful for you, Stace, and appreciate your friendship more than you can ever know.

Stacie giving Noah way too much sugar!

Bananas growing wild in Waianae


Daddy and Noah on Easter in "the Valley"


Mama and Noah