.ohana means family.

This post is a little late.  But it is perfect because anyone who knows Jackie knows "a little late" is right up her alley.

Jackie, my beautiful and kind and funny and wonderful sister-like friend, came to visit me a couple of weekends ago.  She and her husband, along with their adorable one-year old twins, live in Oahu.  I've known Jackie since I was fourteen.  We met the summer before our freshman year of high school during volleyball camp.  She lived just up the street from me so after we met we, of course, we ended up spending a lot of time together over the next four years.  After high school she moved around quite a bit but we always stayed close.  I've been very fortunate in that I have kept a close relationship with quite a few of my childhood friends.

One of my favorite memories from high school was Jackie recounting a reoccurring dream she had about a rubber chicken in a lab coat attacking her with a scalpel.  I am not even entirely sure if that memory is real or not, but I like to think that it is because the thought of a rubber chicken wearing a lab coat makes me laugh.  Even if the scalpel part is creepy.

(Jackie if it isn't real don't ruin it for me)

While she was here we went to Ikea so she could stock up on some things since there isn't one on Oahu (sadness, I know).  I have to say that she makes shopping at Ikea so much more fun than it usually is (and that is saying something since I always enjoy trips to that ridiculous place). We also went to a fabric store downtown where we bought some nice gray chenille to cover the cushions of the new chair we bought at the flea market.  That night we stayed up watching Elvis movies on Netflix as Jackie cut out a pattern to sew the cushion covers.  That's right, she is also a great seamstress.

I can't put into words how much her visit meant to me.  Spending time with her was like having a weight lifted off of my shoulders for two days.  It is hard to explain but seeing Jackie literally felt like she was carrying some of this load for me.  I know that even though she never met George she loved him and feels his loss with us. 

Leif and I love Jackie and her family so much.  We wish we were able to spend more time with them.  For now we have to be satisfied with occasional visits and checking their blog for updates on their little munchkins.

Thank you Jackie.  You are an amazing friend.  I love you.