Influential Friends

Today for Light the World, the invitation prompt was "Shining Star: Dedicate the star on your tree to an influential friend. Share a photo of it along with a tribute to your friend on social media". The person I thought of immediately is Nicole. She has been the most influential friend in my life (aside from Corey of course). These aren't the best quality pics, cause I took a pictures of pictures from my mission photo album.

Nicole is also called by her nickname hermana, due to her formerly being known as Hermana Spencer. We've probably talked on the phone every week for years. I think we got back in touch in 2005 when we were at BYU and were both looking for a friend who could relate to the stresses of raising children. Of course there were lots of friends in the same boat, but it was theraputic to talk to Nicole, and over the years we've come to know each other so well. Like sometimes I can call her to ask what I want to do and she'll have the right answer. One example: when I ordered glass for our new kitchen table, Corey wanted one big piece, I wanted two. I called Nicole and got her advice, and she helped me see that one would be best. Amazing, right?!?! And I'm glad that she and Corey were right. Corey was kinda like "What, you couldn't take my word for it?" but Nicole has the time to explain the thinking in terms that my brain understands, so yeah, it helps having Nicole tell me what I want to do many times. Sometimes I'll call her, give her the backstory of something, tell her the decision that needs to be made, and then will ask "What do I want to do?" and she knows. It's awesome. I hope everyone has a Nicole in their life. She's my 911 emergency call operator and someone I also call and share spiritual insights with or family struggles with, and it's the best. She is my twin sister from another mother. 

We are two peas in a pod, and two turtles from the same shell! (ha, we'll pretend that that is a saying...)

From when we went to the Phoenix zoo on a p-day (missionary preparation day) back on the mission. I loved all the sisters that I lived and worked with. Me, Nicole, Hermana Justis in front, Hermana Coleman on the right, and I can't remember the names of the two English sisters in the middle there. I'll need to go look up in my old journals or planners. We'd go on a walk in the morning, up A mountain at ASU.

Hermanas Bonilla, Justis, Spencer, and me playing soccer in the church gym on another pday.

I loved all my hermanas. This pic below was taken the day before I flew home. I was a trainer to Hermana Justis and Hermana Bonilla. My first born and second born in the wilderness. (Little Book of Mormon joke there. I wrote them letters to them when I was leaving for home, and called them that, haha. Lehi calls his two children born in the wilderness, Jacob and Joseph, by those descriptions, we thought it was funny... mission humor!)

And while I was looking through my mission photos, I saw this lovely photo of the familia Garcia. The lovely woman in the middle there is Raquel Garcia. Natalie's middle name is after her. I love her so much! I wish facebook had been around then so I could keep in touch with them. I don't know how to find them now. Facebook searches don't work, cause all these latinos have such similar names... there are thousands of Raquel Garcias, so sad. But I loved them. 

Hermana Garcia struggled with infertility, and her second son was a little miracle baby that they found out about when she was in the hospital following a car accident. I remember after she told us about her accident and her baby, my heart went out to her and others who struggle so much having children, and I kinda make a vow to myself that if God let's me have children, I'd let them come. I didn't know the Lord would be so generous with us, but her story is part of what has influenced my decision there, and I'm so grateful for that!

Here's another thing from my scrapbook that was fun. I think Hermana Jamison started this, but it was like a fun month by month countdown, with stickers and a few notes of fun things that happened each time. 

So there is my "Shining Star" tribute to Nicole and a little walk down mission memory lane. Life is good, I'm so grateful for friends! 

(Cute picture that Owen and Natalie made today.)