Happy Birthday to Mari

Happy Birthday to one of the greatest friends you could ask for! Mari.

Senior Ball

My story with Mari happened awhile before we actually knew each other. Mari was the Asian girl with the short hair cut that I would often see watching one of my dance classes at South Bay through the observation window. Then we had the same ballet teacher, but we were in different classes. For the recital, our teacher had each of her three classes in a different color of the same costume- Mari was in the purple costume (she was in a higher class), and I was in the teal costume. Then we had a combined finale with all three classes. Generally when I make eye contact with strangers I smile, even if it's not a big smile. But as I've found over the years- a lot of people don't smile back. While in a waiting room at the convention center, Mari and I made eye contact and I'm pretty sure she smiled first! That made me really happy, because I was the fat girl at dance. People from other classes that didn't know me weren't generally like "Hey! I want to meet you!" But Mari smiled at me, and obviously since I remember this, it made me happy. I remembered thinking how she must be really nice. Fast forward to the beginning of seventh grade...

8th Grade Graduation

Seventh grade P.E. class. I have a friend, Crystal, who has been one of my closest friends since we were tots in nursery. Well we both went to different elementary schools, and Mari went to Crystal's. All three of us were in the same P.E. period 7th grade (2nd period!)- but differing teachers. In or right outside of the locker room, Crystal came over to talk to me with Mari in tow. I recognized her from before. We were introduced.

End of Sophomore Year- Sarah, Mari,
Kilani, Katie, and Me.

Seventh and eighth grade are kind of a blur of memories, and I'm having trouble remembering a lot of detail.  Mari and I were never BFFs but we hung out in the same circle(s). I remember becoming friends with Katie because we were in science together, so I'm assuming I started hanging out with Mari in seventh grade too. (Were we in Mrs. Proctor's english class together Mari?) In eighth grade we were in the jazz band together! Oh Mrs. Farmer. I played alto sax, Mari was on flute. Our class was great and we were a close bunch. Sadly I don't really have pictures very accessible right now to show from middle school, since that was before digital cameras. Eighth grade jazz trip to Reno was fabulous and I always thought Mari was such a nice person. Then it was on to high school....

Super Hero Day Senior Year

Me, Mari, and Kyle

Freshman year in high school we were in the same first period geography class with Mr. Clark (?) and at the semester it changed to Health/Driver's Ed. with Mr. Alfano. It was here in this geography class that we became friends with Kyle. He sat behind me and Mari was to the side, from what I remember. At one point we had a joke that we were the only ones that hadn't seen the Incredibles. We were in the same group of people that hung out at lunch and we became better friends. Especially since Mari became close to my other really close friend from church, Sarah. Sarah and Mari met that year in the flute section in marching band.

Mrs. Schwalen's class with Mari and Katie

Embassy Suites for Marching Band

The high school years passed by; we hung out at breaks and we became good friends. However I feel that it was senior year that we really developed the amazing friendship we have today. I was in band all four years, but it was only my senior year that I decided to do marching band (in the pit). When we went on the big trip of the season and stayed in the same hotel room with Sarah and two other girls, it was here that Mari really realized how funny and witty I actually am. (haha....) I think one of the times we really bonded was the bus stopping to eat on the way to or from. Senior year and the summer after we REALLY started becoming close friends, and started hanging out outside of school. From what I remember her parents once saying, they had heard of me before but now Mari started being like "STACEY!!!!" around them. Something had sparked and changed and we became the best of friends.
Senior year was fabulous. From

High School Graduation

band concerts and competitions to Mrs. Schwalen's English class, to the continual hang out at lunch with our friends, I had a great Senior Year. Then during the summer before I went off to Utah to college, we hung out all the time. I met her dad when I went with them to pick out some rocks for their backyard (oh that is a good memory).She came to my dance recital which is a true test of friendship since those things are always hours long, and I went to her taiko (?) recital.

Band Concert

Senior Night a Marching Band Comp

Dance recital. 

 That summer and the next summer when I came home from BYU to help my mom get the house ready to move, was full of sleepovers, Golfland, laughs, game nights with Kyle, Katie, and Sarah; and adventures.

Golfland

 One of my favorite memories was going to San Fran with her family and some of their family friends that were visiting. That was so fun!  I love spending time with her family! There's always a lot of laughs to go around. 

                          
I've loved the trips to SF we've taken over time and the fun memories we've shared there! We've taken a few trips to the crazy hat shop there. We also took a trip to Ripley's Believe it or not.
                                                   
                                                   

During college, I have taken a couple of trips back to San Jose with my mom to visit and have loved staying with Mari and her family. She made it out to Utah this past December to visit and that was so fun! This summer I went to visit and got to go with her family to Disneyland!!!!!

Things I love about Mari:

1. Mari is one of the kindest people I know. Whenever she interacts with anyone she makes them feel that whatever they're saying is important and interesting.
2. I have always appreciated Mari's high standards that were similar to Sarah's and I. I think that's why we've had such a great friendship.
3. Mari and I LOVE Singin in the Rain. I was able to introduce it to her and it's now a tradition to watch it when we're together!
4. Mari and I laugh so much when we're together. We're quite a pair.
5. I LOVE her parents. As my mom has labeled them, Mari and her parents are my "second family."
6. Mari is a person that is BEAUTIFUL on the inside and outside. What a lucky girl ;)
7. Whenever we're reunited it's like we've never been apart! We pick up right where we left off.
8. We send each other lots of texts. She always makes me feel good about myself and she laughs at my jokes.
9.  We have quite the struggle on choosing what to do. We spend a lot time figuring out where we're going and where we're eating. But we even have fun being exasperated over ourselves.
10. I love being able to talk to Mari about what's happening in my life because she always has a listening ear and words of encouragement.
 Basically I am so glad that Mari is such a wonderful friend in my life! Thanks for always being there Mari. Thanks for all the laughs to the point of tears, the belting of Disney songs, putting up with my crazy antics, and being so much fun to be around. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Laughing with Mari and her mom in the Cars Land ride at Disneyland