Friends to last a Lifetime

Finally, another Sunday addition of people who inspire me.

The fact that I have put this post off for SO LONG is pathetic. We went to AZ for Aaron's grandpa's funeral (what?.. like 6 months ago) and we were able to stop and see some of our favorite people in the world. I know, I know, I say everyone is my favorite... but these guys really are! We met Lauri and Myounghee (me-young-he) 7 years ago at the Provo tabernacle, where hundreds of people were gathered for a church function. I sat next to Myounghee and immediately fell in love. Our husbands were off ushering [or doing something else manly] and we just chatted and chatted and chatted. Ben was only 6 months old and her oldest daughter Michelle was two. A second after being introduced, we were literally talking a million miles an hour-- (we're both fast talkers to begin with) but there is no other way to explain it but that we had instant chemistry. I remember thinking that day, "Meeting a person like this doesn't happen everyday." At the end of the conversation (when we were pulled away from each other) I got her number to call her so we could meet up another time.. and you would never believe what we discovered when we returned home-- WE WERE NEIGHBORS! We lived in the same building!! No kidding, her front door was about 20 steps away from mine.. she was just a stairwell away. It was divine intervention. We were meant to be friends with these people.. and I believe we will always keep in touch.

I could probably write a novel about this family-- they have had such incredible experiences and stories. (This is the very reason I have put off writing this post is because it I knew if I started it would end up being 100 pages!)

Let me just start with the basics... I will try not to get carried away.

Myounghee is Korean. Her father is a rice farmer and she comes from a big, hardworking family. She was not born into the church, but was baptized at age 12. Her story of finding the LDS Church in Korea is miraculous. If I can get her to write it in her own words, I will.. it's just overwhelming for me to try to do it myself. Let me just say that after the death of her grandfather she was searching for answers and tracked down the Mormon missionaries (remember, I said she was only 12.) She read the Book of Mormon in ONE NIGHT. Her parents allowed her to get baptized, and she worked so hard to prove to them how much her membership in the Church meant to her. As a teenager, her father got very sick and the family was devastated. Myounghee promised God that if He would save her father, she would find a way to serve a mission for the church. Her father was healed, and a few years later, she was called to serve as a sister missionary in California. She served faithfully, learned English and has some of the most miraculous stories from her time as a missionary. After her mission, she attended school at BYU-Hawaii. This is where she met her wonderful husband, Lauri (who happens to be from Finland.)

Lauri is funny, smart, humble and such a great guy! We love him too and have learned so much from his example. He was attending BYU law school in Provo when we met. He (and his wife) had to sacrifice so much for his degree.. not just during school, but they had to save for years for tuition money because they didn't have citizenship in the country to take out student loans. They lived so frugally and were so humble about everything they had. When we first went into their apartment, it was practically empty. I saw suitcases on their bedroom floors, and I thought they can just returned from a trip.. but I quickly realized that they didn't have any furniture. Their clothes were in suitcases (for over a year) because that's all they had. With lots of family close by, I rounded up help from Aaron's parents who were living in Orem. We got them dressers and couches and a few household items. Myounghee was so excited about it, she called me several times to say, "I feel like I am living in a hotel." How can you help but not love her?

They didn't have a car while living in Provo. Myounghee walked everywhere and was so shy about asking for rides. We each only had one child at the time, so we always piled in our Honda and went lots of places together. Soon after we met, Myounghee found out she was expecting again and I was lucky enough to not only be a part of her doctor's appointments, but I was in the delivery room when her second baby girl was born. Nicole was a BEAUTIFUL baby and is such a gorgeous 5 year old now! She has since had two adorable little boys.. A big blessing for Myounghee because boys RULE in Korea. She always tells me that God favors me by sending me boys.

I found out I was pregnant with Luke when early one morning, Myounghee knocked on my door and told me that she had a dream that I was having another boy. I didn't think it was possible because we weren't even trying. She said, "oh, yes. You are having a boy. I dreamed there was a cow and flowers [or something to that effect] and that means you are expecting another boy!" I didn't know it at the time, but I was 5 weeks pregnant.. and sure enough, it was a boy!. I quickly learned to trust when Myounghee had 'revelations'. She has amazing stories of what has happened in her dreams and I believe her 100%. Don't mess around with the Korean woman with vivid dreams. She knows what she's talking about. She also ALWAYS says it like it is. She is blunt and open and isn't afraid to hurt your feelings. I just love that about her!

Another story I just LOVE is when we realized they had never been out to eat at a restaurant in Provo. I am not sure how long they had lived there, but when we found out that they hadn't eaten at a single restaurant, we told them we would take them ANYWHERE they wanted... our treat. They were both so surprised and almost turned us down. We told them to pick the place and we'd make it a date. They both said they needed to think about where they wanted to go. A couple of days later Myounghee called me and said, "We finally decided where we want to go...." I wanted to know where. With much excitement she said, "ARBY'S!" That was not the kind of restaurant we were expecting, but Arby's it was. We told them to buy as much food at they wanted.. It was such a fun night. After dinner we all went to a 50 cent movie at the cheap theaters in Provo and it was ghetto-fabulous.

Myounghee and Lauri are such a big part of our Provo experience. We were so sad to say goodbye to them because we weren't sure when we'd see them again. They are literally the most WARM, humble, wonderful people and will forever be our dear friends. Lauri has since finished law school and is an attorney in AZ. I LOVED going to their home to visit them because it is still so modest and so welcoming. They have their priorities straight and conversation with them is never vain or shallow. They are hilarious and such wonderful parents. Their children, by the way, are brilliant and well rounded. All four children are fluent in Korean, Finnish AND English. Myounhee only speaks Korean to them, Lauri only speaks Finnish to them, and in order for the parents to understand each other, they all have to speak English! It was such a joy to see them and to see Michelle playing the piano and Nicole talking a million miles an hour (just like her mother!) I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will still live close to them-- because you never know if they are going to go back to Finland or Korea. Five hours isn't so bad, but what I wouldn't give to be living in the same building!

This Thanksgiving season, I am truly grateful for friends. The last few months of my life have been spent thinking about such materialist things.. buying a new house (and trying to furnish it) does that to you.. or at least it has to me. The last few days I have really tried to step back and take a breather and remember what is MOST important. And for me, it's people. It's my family-- immediate and not so immediate, it's the wonderful friends we've made in Las Vegas, and it's all the loved ones I've met along the way. I am so grateful for those who have made an impact for good on my life. I wish I lived closer to my parents and siblings. I know they are going to have a killer Thanksgiving meal on Thursday and I will SO miss it!!! But I get the next best thing-- my in-laws are coming to town and I am looking forward to hosting in my new house.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Eat your heart out! I will be back next week... with Christmas music to boot!