Stacy

FL visit

 About 18 years ago I met Stacy (Maiuzzo) Benner.  We were in 6th grade and she came to join my lunch table with one of our mutual friends, Carley.  Michelle, Carley, and I were already best friends, but Carley really wanted us to get to know Stacy too.  My first impression of her wasn't good.  She made it quite clear that she didn't approve of our topics of conversation or our choice of words.  I don't recall what we talked about, but I do remember that our language use would make sailors blush a little bit.  As hard as it may be to believe, I had a very dirty mouth in middle school.  Stacy didn't hold back her feelings about our words either.  She kept telling us that we were "potty mouths" and we didn't like it.  So Michelle and I wrote her a note, kicking her off of our lunch table.

For the next year or so Michelle and I didn't have much to do with Stacy, but Carley still hung out with her.  Stacy was raised in a what we thought of as a very strict Christian home.  We would see Stacy at sleepovers with other friends and we were mostly cordial, but it wasn't until 8th grade that we all started getting along a little better.  I think we did our best to corrupt her while she did her best to introduce us to Jesus.  Quite an interesting start to a life long friendship, but at least we have a fun story.

Freshman year of high school is when I came to know Jesus.  Stacy and her family were an integral part in that, something I will always be grateful for.  Despite my attempts at ignoring the truth, the Lord spoke clearly through Stacy, her parents, her youth pastor, and Carley's church (my home church).  Carley, Michelle, and I came to know the Lord within about a year of each other and then the 4 of us attended Carley's church's youth group together with dozens of our other school friends.  We quickly became absolutely inseparable.  We did everything together.  Classes, choir, worship team, youth group, Bible study, church.  It was rare to see one of us without one of the others.  We of course had our ups and downs, and times when we would be closer with a certain one, but for the most part our group of 4 was solid.  We walked with each other through family drama, moving, BOYS, deaths, depression, jobs, and whatever else high school students go through.  When my family moved to Arizona, my friends and my church became my family.

As we went our separate ways in college, we stayed in contact through email and calling cards.  (yeah, before cell phones and facebook.)  We visited one another as much as we could.  Of course people have a tendency to fall a little out of touch, but it never felt like there was a disconnect.  Stacy soon switched schools, leaving Illinois and starting at a small school in Ohio.  I was going to school in Indiana and we were only about 4 hours apart.  For her 21st b-day, I got in touch with her boyfriend (now husband) about surprising her for a weekend visit.  It was a good weekend, getting to see my best friend again, but I remember it being very hard to leave.  I knew that Stacy was going to marry Jeff and even though I didn't know him well, I think he knew he had my approval.  (Although at the rehearsal dinner for their wedding I may or may not have threatened to stab him if anything went wrong.  Gosh, I'm such a lovely person, aren't I?)

Stacy and Jeff got married a couple years later in Pennsylvania and then moved to Florida, where Stacy's parents had moved after we graduated high school.  They've lived down there for about 8/9 years now and amazingly, Stacy and I are closer than ever.  She is my best friend.  A kindred spirit.  She has seen me at my best and she's seen my at my absolute worst.  We've walked through times of incredible joy and we've stumbled and crawled through times of deep sorrow.  We have walked with each other through our faith journeys and held each other accountable.  We've hurt each other deeply, but by the grace of God, we've been able to forgive.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says,"Two are better than one,because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

I'm so amazed at how God has truly ordained our friendship. She has always challenged me to grow deeper in my faith.  And when she's struggled, it's been in times when I've been walking closely with God, so I get to hold her up.  How awesome is He?  Visiting with Stacy is like being with family.  I never feel uncomfortable or like I can't be myself.  It's been an honor to grow up with her, to be a part of her family, and to call her sister.  Her husband Jeff is fantastic and we get along really well.  He's basically the male version of me, so of course he's awesome.  ;)  Their two kids Owen and Abby are adorable and I love them to death!

Time and space can't seem to separate us.  Not 9,000 miles while I lived in Africa, not living in different states for the past 11 years.

There are so many stories I could tell and so much more detail that I could go into, but tonight is just about being thankful for my best friend and her 30 years of life.  Stacy, you are amazing and I love you so much.  Happy birthday!!

ps. Michelle is still my bff as well... for the past 20 years and counting!  And Carley too!  Praise the Lord for amazing friendships, grounded in Him.

Carley's wedding

Michelle's wedding week

Who even knows what these are from and why?!