3.23.2010 Mon Amie Marie

Today is Marie's birthday, a friend like her doesn't come around very often, maybe once in a lifetime....and in my random case from Canada, to Utah to Oklahoma.....her from France to Oklahoma on the exact same week. I know Heavenly Father knew that our paths needed to cross.

We have had to work extremely hard on our friendship....because what do girls do best? How do we bond? By TALKING!!!! My French was super rusty and her English is still a work in progress....but we have made tons of progress. We speak both languages now, English when husbands are around and mostly French when it is just us and the kids. We used to get happily frustrated at times when we didn't understand each other perfectly but we have come a long way from that. What is even more fun is all the good times we have had learning about each others cultures...all the differences are so interesting to me....and helping her to experience American things is so amusing! I could have been born French and been a happy girl!

Marie is....
hilarious, addict-tingly fun to talk to, a great cook,
so spiritual, genuine, a creative scrapper, extremely kind,
easy going, thoughtful, always willing to help me,
smart, and an incredible mom and wife.
More qualities I admire: She has a strong testimony,
makes you want to be better in her presence, loves random fun,
never gossips or says anything bad about anyone,
remembers everything I have ever told her (in great detail)...,
and knows how to be a real friend!

Her family and parents are taking a trip to Utah! Oh how I'd love to go with her and show her all my favorite places and meet all my favorite people, but instead I am helping her to plan an awesome trip without me. :)

I won't lie, my heart will definitely be very much broken when she moves back to Bordeaux and I am left here in OK. We agreed not to talk about the month of June and having to say goodbye, because she is very sad too. But I'd do it all again....and a trip to France is definitely in our future plans!!!

Happy 29th Birthday Marie!

You're the best! Don't know what I would have done here without you!!! :)
Tu es le meilleur! Je ne sais pas ce que j'aurais fait ici sans vous! :)