I just want to hum that Stevie Wonder song when I think of my BFF Laurie. And even more when I look at this picture of her beautiful face. This girl not only has some good genes but her beauty runs skin deep as well. In honor of her upcoming birthday (I'll let you guess the age) I wanted to share why this lady has a special place in my heart.

It all started back in early 2001. I had just moved back to the Northwest and the only friend I had was my college roommate who still lived here in Bellingham. She called me on a Friday morning clearly upset. She couldn't give me details right then but needed me to take care of her three kids that Monday morning. A former co-worker of hers had delivered a stillborn and she wanted to go clean the gal's house. I was happy to help with childcare but felt helpless to do more. I knew nothing about this woman but did know I wanted to do something to ease her pain. So I did what all Americans do in a crisis: made her dinner. When Janelle dropped off the kids, I gave her the meal and told her to convey my condolences to her friend. When she returned to collect her kiddos, she said Laurie really appreciated the meal and was doing remarkably well in spite of the circumstances.

Fast forward a month. I was sitting in my Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) discussion group when I noticed a new face in the room. Our leader introduced Laurie and told us how she took a break for a while because of some difficult times but she'd be sharing with us herself at the end of the lesson. When Diane gave Laurie the floor, she graciously and eloquently told the story of losing and having to deliver her baby at 26 weeks. She went on to share how God gave her his "peace that surpasses all understanding" in the midst of her pain. Her faith and completely calm demeanor was amazing to all of us surrounding her. All of a sudden it hit me: Oh my! This is Janelle's friend! Oh my goodness!! After class ended, I was racking my brain trying to think of how I could introduce myself without sounding like a total idiot and saying something like: "Hey, I made you that lasagna. Did you like it?" I approached her and said "I'm Janelle's friend. I watched her kids while she came to clean your house." She said "you're the one who made me that delicious dinner. Thank you!" and threw her arms around me. An instant and enduring friendship began.

The next week, when we sat together during class, she asked how many kids I had. She had two girls the exact same ages as my boys. I hesitated to tell her I was expecting #3. She made it easy for me when she said "are you going to have any more?" Ummmm, I'm actually 3 months pregnant. She was sincerely thrilled for me. As God would have it, she discovered her third was on the way just a couple months later and we waddled through the next few months together until our baby BOYS were born within two months of each other. I retired from childbirth but she went on to have another boy 16 months later. I honestly don't know how either of us would have survived the next 5 years without one another. We swapped childcare weekly and took turns doing the "Costco runs". We comiserated together when our husbands were traveling. We figured out how to occupy and keep alive 7 children until every last one of them entered elementary school. And, most importantly, encouraged and challenged each other to grow in our faith. I never thought I'd say it but I sure miss those days. It seems to be harder and harder to carve out time for each other now that the kids are older and busier. But we have always been consistent in celebrating our birthdays--which we did last night.

As far as our birthdays, we started this tradition of putting something on each other's cakes that represented a signifcant event from the previous year. One year her septic tank backed up and Roto Rooter arrived to determine the cause. Turns out that one of her boys had put an entire box of baby wipes down the toilet. That year I topped her cake with Tootsie Rolls and Kleenex. The picture below represents when her family went to Hawaii and due to an oversight in the planning, all 6 of them ended up squeezed in to a studio condo.

Earlier this year we were celebrating our other BFF's birthday when we got to talking about "what our license plates would say." In other words, what was your life statement? What phrase came to mind when others thought of you? Immediately she said "Buck Up". Perfect! She is a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of girl and gives this response quite often when she hears whining in others. I came home and "googled": replica license plates and, of course, found a company that made them for a reasonable price with a quick turnaround time. So this year I decided to forgo the cake in place of the plate. Because our state requires plates on front and back, she is planning to proudly display it in her kitchen.

Happy ## Birthday to my fun, forty-something, faithful and fabulous friend. I love being on this journey with you. Here's to many more!!!

Yesterday, being the procrastinator that I am, I announced to my family: "The Olympics are practically in our backyard and if we don't go up there, we may regret it for the rest of our lives." Nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh? (that was for my Canadian friends)

This morning we loaded up and headed to the "Great White North" fully anticipating crowds, long lines and the testing of our patience on this great adventure. After all, it was not only the last day but also the final hockey match between USA and Canada along with the closing ceremonies. First stop: border crossing. Wait time: 5 minutes! So far, so good. We followed my friend Lili's advice and parked at the train station in Richmond. Upon arriving we were greeted by several friendly faces offering directions and help. After a twenty minute train ride with half the free world (this was where the crowds appeared) we found ourselves in the middle of downtown Vancouver. The excitement was everywhere and we were hard pressed to find a Canadian not donned in red and white hockey jerseys or their country's flag. Once again, there were kind, helpful people everywhere we turned.

We spent the next three hours walking all over town taking it all in. Our final stop was just outside BC Place where the monumental, history-in-the-making hockey match was taking place. We joined in with a very small American contingent at an outside restaurant to witness the final goal. On that note we jumped back on the train and were back in the states an hour later. The photos below hit the highlights.

A life-size version of that which was EVERYWHERE. Homeland pride for sure.

The next USA bobsled team

A hockey player in the making??

Some very brave American souls willing to show their homeland pride.

All the ambassadors were dressed in jackets of this gorgeous color. Good fashion call, Canada.

We settled for this picture outside the Cauldron instead of waiting 30 minutes to get near it.

Never too old for a good game of "Tag"

SStill cool enough to join in.

More heart than the rest of them but those little legs just couldn't catch anybody.

We ran into Ben's classmate Clara at the waterfront.

This was the closest we could get them to stand next to each other.

USA pride--just before we lost.

Amanda! (I have always wanted to say that first part). Her six-year-old son told her: "If God let me pick any mom in the world, I still would have picked you!!"

Thanks to everyone who "showed me some love" and entered--and those who viewed my page but didn't want to leave a comment. Maybe the question didn't resonate--or maybe the necklace didn't grab ya. That's OK. I had so much fun reading the comments and looking for the perfect giveway item that I plan to make this a monthly event.

I've never thought of myself as a jealous person. I was rarely one who had to have an exclusive on my relationships. I understood that there were others before me and that others would follow. No big deal. If my significant other talked to another woman, steam did not rise from my head. It just wasn't my style. But lately I have learned that envy is an entire different animal. Envy is more about comparison. And boy was I becoming good at mastering that lovely attribute.

Doesn't it seem like that which is elusive to you comes so easy to everyone else? Of course it is magnified by our own sensitivity but nonetheless it feels like a cruel joke.

When we were trying, for two years, to conceive our first child I felt like every conversation I had included a woman telling me how "she just looked at her husband and got pregnant." (so that's what I was doing wrong.) When we were renting a home for five straight years all I heard on the news was how quickly home prices were rising and that if " I didn't act now" we'd never realize the "American Dream". I felt like I was "the only one." Everyone else's life was rosy and I was missing out. Such a lie.

In the recent season of losses, I regularly found myself in a pity party of enormous proportions. I spent more time than I care to admit resenting my own lot and taking inventory of my neighbors' lives. Through my painted on smile, thoughts would run through my head like: "Why can't I have her life?" "Why does everything always go their way?" "They're going to Hawaii..... again?" "Her husband got yet another promotion?" All that was missing in my life was spilling over the top in theirs. I was in a funk that was easily justified by my "extenuating circumstances". Add the "winter blues" and no one could argue with my crummy attitude. Hmmph.

While at last weekend's retreat, the second evening I felt free to unload with my dear friends and bared my ugly soul about this. One of them shared this quote: "Comparison is the thief of joy." Ouch! It is so very true. I had let my scorekeeping and comparison steal that joy I once had. No more. And to hit it home, God showed me this passage from His word: "A heart at peace gives life to the body but envy rots the bones." Proverbs 14:30 Isn't that a perfect description of joy: a heart at peace? Now that's a comparison I'd rather be reminded of.

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a women's retreat here in our backyard--not literally but figuratively. I joined 600 of my closest friends for two-and-a-half days of nourishing our minds, bodies and souls. What a welcome respite to end the dreary month of January. I knew nothing about the speaker, the format or any other details before I forked over my $155 (isn't that a steal for two nights in a luxury hotel plus meals) and clicked "register". Truthfully I was more excited about spending time away from boys, having someone else prepare my meals and pick up my dirty towels and relishing some girl time. If I knew what I was in store, I would have gladly paid twice the amount and dragged a few more friends along with me.